Influence of Merit Selection Criteria on Private Sector Participation in Provision of Quality Education in Elgeyo-Marakwet County

The purpose of this study was to analyze the influence of merit selection criteria on private sector participation in provision of quality education in Elgeyo-Marakwet County. The study was carried out in private primary schools and public secondary schools within Elgeyo-Marakwet County, Kenya. This study used descriptive survey design. Specifically the study targeted secondary school principals, deputy principals, senior teachers and head teachers of private primary schools. After stratifying the secondary schools, then proportionate simple random sampling was applied to each stratum by applying the 30% principle. This study used questionnaires and interview schedule as instruments for data collection. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics such as percentage and frequencies. Qualitative data from the interview schedule was analyzed using content analysis technique. Data was presented in form of frequency distribution tables figures. This study found out that merit as criteria of form one selection has enabled private schools post majority of their pupils to national and extra county schools. Despite merit selection in form one, the number of national schools is still low compared to number of candidates who do well in KCPE and deserve to be selected to join these schools. The study recommended that the form one-selection criteria should be based on merit as the main criteria in selection.