Major Causes of Girls’School Dropout from General Primary Schools and Related Challenges in South Wollo and Oromia Zones in Amahara Region, Ethiopia

Ali A Yassin

doi:10.7176/jep/11-10-03

Abstract

Though many researchers have been concerned with school dropout issue for both girls and boys, dropout pattern significantly differs by the gender of the students. This study clarifies the factors that contribute to the increasing dropout rate of children, particularly among girls by interviewing research participants and making a detailed review of available literature. Most past researches and reviews on the school dropout issue have been carried out regardless of the gender of the students. Twenty-five primary school students (10 boys and 15 girls), ten school teachers (including school directors) and twenty parents were interviewed for the study. That made the total research participants fifty-five. Dropout rate does not occur through a single factor; it is a composition of several factors. A number of studies have been conducted on girls' dropout issue based on particular regions, societies and cultural perspectives in various parts of the world. In this study, Ianalyzed the factors contributing to the dropout of girls and concluded thatthe major factors are (1) economic factors: e.g. poverty and migration to foreign countries to earn (2) household level factors: e.g. child labor (3) school level factors: e.g. distance and (4) cultural factors: e.g. early marriage. Keywords : School dropout, girls' education, educational inequality. DOI: 10.7176/JEP/11-10-03 Publication date: April 30 th 2020

Highlights

BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY In Ethiopia, while the net enrolment rate for first cycle primary has reached to 86.6 per cent in 2009/10 surpassing the ESDP III target of 82.6 per cent for the same year, high dropout rates in the initial years of schooling and low completion rates in the second cycle prevented the achievement of the targets for primary education as a whole
The dropout rate is very high in grade one and is slightly higher for girls than boys
Dropout rate does not occur through a single factor; it is a composition of several factors

Summary

Introduction

BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY In Ethiopia, while the net enrolment rate for first cycle primary has reached to 86.6 per cent in 2009/10 surpassing the ESDP III target of 82.6 per cent for the same year, high dropout rates in the initial years of schooling and low completion rates in the second cycle prevented the achievement of the targets for primary education as a whole. Many families do not appreciate the benefits of schooling and children have few opportunities for secondary education. These factors are all closely linked to poverty. Continued support should be given to enhance girls’ participation and achievement in education in addition to co-curricular activities to be undertaken by school clubs and other organizations aimed at preventing drop-out. It declined in 2008/2009, the repetition rate has nearly doubled. Attributed to various socio-economic and cultural factors, girls are more susceptible than boys in both respects: repetition and drop out. It is important to investigate the agenda in order to implement strategies that reduce both in-school and out of school factors

Objectives

Methods

Conclusion