Household Wealth and Access to Education by Children in Democratic Republic of Congo: A Case of Kasongo District

Abstract

The purpose of the research was to assess the relationship between household wealth on education of children in Kasongo Districtt. The study objectives were; 1) to analyze the relationship between household income and enrollment rate; 2) to analyze the relationship between household income and rate of completion; 3) to determine the relationship between income, sex and the level of education of household heads, the number school age children, and the sex of the schooled child with education of children in Kasongo District. The study adopted a cross section case-study design with a sample size of 397, using administered questioners and interviewing methods for quantitative and qualitative findings respectively. Guided by human capital and the needs theories, the findings to the study revealed that low income in a household is negatively significant to enrollment of the learners in schools. Results revealed a highly significant relationship between household income and completion rate in primary (r=0.633, P=0.021) but insignificant correlation for secondary school completion rate (r=0.381, P=0.060). The study revealed significant relationship between sex of the household head, education levels of household heads, sex of schooling children and school completion for both cycles (P<0.05). The study concluded that household income significantly relate school enrolment rates for both cycles since the main focus is betterment of the human needs and quality human capital. Upon such, the Government and international partners need to strengthen efforts to reduce poverty and thereby enabling household sources of income for both ends discussed in the two theories.