School Physical Infrastructures and Pupils’ Enrolment Rates in Nursery Schools in Rwanda

Abstract

The school physical infrastructures play a significant role in the promotion of school enrolment in various levels of education. Adequate school playgrounds and classrooms help the school to enroll greater number of populations and reduce over age students in the classroom. The purpose of the paper was to establish the relationship between school physical infrastructures and pupils’ enrolment in nursery schools in Ngororero district in Rwanda. The paper employed correlation research design. The target population was 260 respondents that provided the sample size of 164 got using Yamane formula. Interview guide and questionnaire were used as data collection instruments. The findings revealed that classrooms, playgrounds and dining hall are considered to be one of school physical infrastructures. The findings demonstrated that there is a significance high degree of positive correlation between school physical enrolment and pupils’ enrolment as it was proved by Karl Pearson coefficient of correlation (r) = .977 and p-value= .000. It was also found that 7% of the variations in children enrolment in nursery schools of Ngororero district was determined by the school physical learning materials. The remaining 4.3% of pupils’ enrolment can be affected by other variables. The study recommended that the educational planners should make effective set up that could enhance nursery schools to be equipped accordingly and to have all necessary infrastructures needed in school setting to accommodate all registered students. The Ministry of Education should provide regular financial support needed to allocate the infrastructures in schools and focus on regular maintenance to enhance daily school activities. The school head teachers should make effective management of the allocated school infrastructures and address any issue related to school infrastructures. Parents should also have their participation in the development of the school infrastructures so as to promote teaching and learning conditions of their children.

Keywords: School physical infrastructures, pupils’ enrolment, nursery schools and Rwanda