OCCUPATIONAL FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE DEMAND FOR BACHELOR OF EDUCATION DEGREE AMONG NONGRADUATE TEACHERS IN TRANS NZOIA COUNTY, KENYA

ABSTRACT:There is rapid expansion of higher education the world over precipitated by factors of demand andsupply leading to various innovations in programmes and mode of study. A new trend has emerged where awide scope of working professionals, including teachers are undertaking continuing education. To teach atprimary level in Kenya, a Primary 1 (P1) certificate is the minimum requirement. However, a significant numberof teachers at this level either hold or are pursuing a Bachelor of Education (B.Ed.) degree. As of December,2016, of the 4,406 teachers in public primary schools in Trans-Nzoia County, 896 possessed a B.Ed. degree.Despite their higher qualifications that have raised the unit cost of education, there is concern over the quality ofeducation at primary level where the mean mark in Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) hasconsistently remained below the average mark of 250 out of the possible 500 for over 10 years. The purpose ofthis study was todetermine occupational factors that influence demand for B.Ed. degree among non-graduateteachers in public primary schools in Trans-Nzoia County, Kenya. The findings indicate that personal attributes,occupational, institutional and socio-economic factors all account for the surge in demand for B.Ed. degreealthough economic factors signal demand most. The study also found that teacher qualifications have minimalpositive effect on learner academic performance. The findings will help policy makers and educational plannersplan for relevant, efficient, effective, equitable and quality education. The findings will also serve as referencematerial for future researchers in a related field of study.

Key word: Occupational factors, demand for higher education