ABSTRACT
The population group that often suffer from limited access and retention in school education includes orphans, children from low income families, indigenous people and other marginalized groups. Worldwide evidence suggests that orphaned children are not accessing education or are leaving school before achieving basic literacy and numeracy skills. Studies have shown that partnerships can help enhance education status of vulnerable groups for instance in the provision of bursaries, provision of infrastructure, and other requirements. The increased number of orphaned children places a tremendous strain on families, communities and nations whereby partnerships are needed for the support. In Kenya, these children have little access and retention to school making them vulnerable to problems like child abuse, child labour and others which needs both public and private partnership. This study explored how public (government) and private (family, Non-Governmental Organizations and Faith Based Organisations) partnership influence school retention of orphaned children in Abogeta division, Meru county. The significance of this study was to enlighten the government, FBOs, NGOs and family on the need of partnership in order to help orphaned children to remain in school. The study was guided by Maslow‟s theory of motivation whereby through public and private partnership involvement by providing for their needs, orphaned children can be facilitated to access education and remain in school. A descriptive survey design was used where purposeful sampling was used to select informants from FBOs, NGOs and administration officers, random sampling was used to select the 8 schools out of 74 schools in the division and 48 orphaned children both boys and girls from the sampled schools. Data was collected using interview guide, structured questionnaires, observations and focus group discussions. Quantitative data obtained from questionnaires was analysed using descriptive statistics and analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). Qualitative data from observations, interviews and FGDs was analysed thematically according to the main themes, objectives and research questions then conclusions and recommendations was drawn from the research findings. Charts and tables were used to present the findings from FGDs, interviews, questionnaires and observations. The findings from this study was important in providing information to the governments, NGOs, FBOs, communities and families to enable them formulate a broad strategy within which resources could be channeled more effectively to ensure school retention for the orphaned children. There is need to research on the causes of truancy among orphaned children even after being supported.