The effect of parental socioeconomic status on participation of pupils in special units in public primary schools in Kakamega county

The government of Kenya recognizes the importance of special needs education as a crucial subsector for accelerating the attainment of Education for All (EFA) and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). This study sought to establish the effect of parental socioeconomic status on participation of pupils in special units in public primary schools in Kakamega County, Kenya through a descriptive research survey design. A sample of 226 was selected using multi-stage sampling technique. Data was collected using a questionnaire and document analysis. A pilot study was conducted in three special units and the data was used to assess the reliability of research instruments using split-half technique which was r=0.8. Face and content validity were used to validate the instruments. Data was analysed descriptively and inferentially at 0.05 level of significance on a two-tailed test. The multiple regression results show that pupil’s participation in special units is not affected by student wealth index tertiles. Besides repetition, number of girls with special needs in a household, lower pupils’ participation in special units in public primary schools in Kakamega County. It is therefore recommended that the government policy on integration of special units in public primary schools be enhanced to widen access in special units.