Effects of Members’ Education Types on their Participation in Savings and Credit Co-operative Societies: Evidence from Uasin-Gishu County, Kenya

Abstract

The International Co-operative Alliance (ICA) acknowledges Member Participation (MP) as a strategy for making co-operatives achieve faster growth enhanced by Member Education Types (METs). METs are the kind of learning provided through Co-operative Education (CE). They improve members’ skills on member’s rights and responsibilities, financial management, entrepreneurship, leadership and innovation leading to better MP. However, an examination of most CE indicates that it is not directed to members limiting them from accessing useful co-operative knowledge. This study examined the effects of member education types on their participation in Savings and Credit Co-operative Societies (SACCOS). Specifically the study (i) examined member education types (ii) assessed the relationship between member education types and member participation, and (iii) analysed socio-demographic attributes affecting participation of members. Selection of 384 members from 147 SACCOS was done using simple random sampling. Survey, in-depth interviews and Focus Group Discussion (FGD) were used in data collections. Data were analysed with the aid of multiple linear regression and content analysis technique. Findings revealed that METs were skills on member rights and responsibilities, entrepreneurship, financial management, leadership and innovation. It was also found that METs influence MP. The socio-demographic attributes affecting MP were education, age, sex, income and occupation. The study concluded that METs were critical on increasing co-operative understanding on the nature and uniqueness of co-operative business, they predict MP on co-operative meetings and elections among others (P<0.05). The study recommends SACCOS’ managers and training agencies to provide continuous CE to members under strict supervision of the County Co-operative Officers to improve MP.