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The purpose of the study was to identify the financial problems that single female and coupled parents in educating their children, modes of disciplining children before they joined school and to examine accessibility of single and coupled parents to communal groups. The design of the study was ex post facto. Three hundred and five respondents were selected from the districts. The data collected was analyzed with the aid of the computer. The statistical packages for the social science program was used. The statistical tests employed in this study were chi-square (x2), contingency coefficient, and percentages. Hypotheses tested in the study were rejected or retained at 0.05 level of significance.Among the major findings, the study revealed that coupled parents in the sample faced financial problems and their sources of income varied. The study further revealed that single female parents took odd jobs like being house and bar maids. Further majority (62.5%) of the parents particularly in rural areas support communal groups that take great interest on problems affecting coupled and single parents.

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Mr. Lewis M.Ngesu is a lecturer, affiliated to The University of Nairobi, Nairobi Kenya in the college of education and external studies, Department of education foundations. The most recent publication is an article entitled; Teacher training in Kenya: An overview published by Kenya Association of educational administrators and managers (KAEAM).

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