School Girls Research Articles

Department of History, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria nanasidi@abu.edu.ng

Abstract. In 1999, the Nigerian government launched its Universal Basic Education (UBE) program to provide free and compulsory education for every Nigerian child. Despite this effort, girls’ enrollment and school retention are still at their lowest ebb. This problem is even more apparent in Northern Nigeria where economic, religious and cultural factors often deny most girls access to education, especially in the NorthWest. Using a qualitative research methodology, this paper assesses the factors debilitating against girl child education in Northern Nigeria between 1999 and 2015 and their implications. This study finds out that factors such as early marriage, gender discrimination, low government support and the condemnation of co-education were responsible for the low enrollment of girls in schools across the Northern region. The paper concludes that to achieve the United Nation’s Millennium Development Goals2 (MDG2) and Sustainable Development Goals-4 (SDG 4), the government, international community, NGOs and parents must put their hands on deck to break the social, economic, religious and cultural barriers denying girls full and equitable access to education in Northern Nigeria. Keywords: Girl child education, Social Inclusion, MDG2, SDG4, Northern Nigeria, Challenges

Embodied Cultural Capital, Social Class, Race and Ethnicity, and Sports Performance in Girls Soccer

Compared with working-class parents, middle-class parents increasingly promote sports performance for their children as part of a larger strategy of ensuring that their children are upwardly mobile and likely to attend and graduate from college. However, we need to learn more about the distribution of youth sports performance in specific sports and whether it relates to social class. In this study, we test for a relationship between social class and performance in girls soccer by examining the success of high school girls soccer teams in 16,091 contests. We find that schools with more working-class youth consistently lose by many goals. The relationship between performance and social class is weaker in predominantly Latinx schools than in predominantly Black and predominantly White ones, likely reflecting the community cultural wealth in soccer in Latinx immigrant communities. We discuss the practical and theoretical implications of these findings.

The Effect of Using Mini-Drama on Writing Proficiency among Iraqi EFL Secondary School Pupils

This research aims to investigate the effect of mini-drama to enhance the writing proficiency of Iraqi EFL secondary school pupils. To achieve the aim of the research, the following hypothesis has been put in. There is no statistically significant difference between the mean score of the experimental group, taught using mini-drama to improve writing proficiency, and that of the control group, taught using the traditional way in the posttest. The data has been collected from Iraqi EFL secondary pupils at Al-Qabas secondary school for girls during the academic year (2023-2024), through a pre and post-test. The study is quantitative and experimental design and the results are analyzed through descriptive statistics of the data through the SPSS 22 software program. Finally, the research ends with some conclusions, recommendations, and suggestions for further research.

The Conception and Practice of the Military Drill Education of High School Girls in the 1970s

The Conception and Practice of the Military Drill Education of High School Girls in the 1970s

Effect of School-Based Education Intervention on Knowledge and Attitude Regarding Seasonal Influenza Vaccine Uptake Among Secondary Schoolgirl Students in Al-Ahsa, Saudi Arabia: A Quasi-experimental Study.

Background School-based educational interventions are critical because they provide an opportunity to strengthen preventive measures by educating students about the importance of vaccination and promoting healthy practices within the community. Aim The study aimed to assess the effectiveness of influenza vaccination education in terms of knowledge and attitudes among secondary schoolgirl students in Al-Ahsa, Saudi Arabia. Methods This open-label, parallel-group, quasi-experimental study included 419 secondary school girls in Al-Ahsa, Saudi Arabia. The control group comprised 199 participants, while the intervention group comprised 220 participants. Both groups were administered a self-administered Arabic questionnaire prior to the study to collect information on participants' demographics, knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding seasonal influenza and its vaccine. Subsequently, the intervention group was presented with a brief educational video and evaluated via a post-test. The primary outcomes were the students' knowledge and attitudes about seasonal influenza vaccines. The secondary outcomes were the participants' practices and reasons for not receiving the vaccine for seasonal influenza. Results Following an educational intervention about seasonal influenza and its vaccine, there was a statistical increase in knowledge and attitudes among students compared to a pre-intervention baseline. However, in both intervention and control groups, only a small proportion of participants had received the influenza vaccine, either once or on more than one occasion. Most participants employed additional preventive measures beyond vaccines; however, the majority also believed that vaccines were ineffective or perceived influenza as a relatively minor illness. Conclusion Implementing an influenza vaccination education program effectively enhances the knowledge and attitudes of secondary school female students in Al-Ahsa, Saudi Arabia. Nevertheless, further measures need to be taken to enhance the low vaccination uptake among the target population.

Effect of Health Education on the Knowledge and Attitude Regarding the Human Papillomavirus Vaccine among Adolescent School Girls of a City in Western Maharashtra

Background: Human papillomavirus vaccine is effective in preventing cervical cancer and is especially recommended for girls above nine years of age. Understanding the level of awareness and attitude of the target population towards the HPV vaccine is imperative to create awareness where necessary. Aim and Objectives: To assess the baseline knowledge, attitudes, and behaviours concerning HPV vaccine among adolescent school girls in urban area, and to investigate the impact of health education on these parameters. Study design: Quasi-experimental Study setting: Secondary school in Pune city Target population: Adolescent girls Methods and Material: Calculated sample size was 200. A school was chosen randomly. All the willing female students from 8th-10th standards were enrolled. Awareness about HPV infection and vaccination, attitude and practices were assessed at the baseline and two weeks after the health education intervention, using a self-administered structured questionnaire. Results: Initially, only 2.5% had heard about the HPV vaccine and none had received it. Following health education, the proportion of students who correctly answered the questions regarding the HPV vaccine, diseases prevented and who can take the vaccine increased significantly by 94%, 71.5% and 72% respectively. Positive attitude regarding the risk of HPV infection and age for vaccination improved significantly by 78.5% and 48% respectively. Vaccine seeking behaviour improved significantly by 17.5%. Conclusions: Adolescent school girls had poor baseline knowledge and attitude regarding the HPV vaccine and health education significantly improved the same.

Knowledge and practice of menstrual hygiene: a cross-sectional study among high school girls in Mangalore Taluk

Background: Understanding and practicing menstrual hygiene is crucial for women’s health globally. Unsafe menstrual hygiene practices (MHP) contribute to a lower quality of life. In impoverished nations, gender inequity, societal norms, cultural taboos, poverty, and inadequate facilities hinder meeting menstrual health demands. The study aimed to assess the level of knowledge and practice of menstrual hygiene among adolescent girls in Mangalore Taluk, Dakshina Kannada, Karnataka. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 482 adolescent girls from government high schools in Mangalore Taluk. A cluster random sampling technique was adopted to select the schools and complete enumeration was done from each school with the aid of a semi-structured questionnaire. The data was analyzed by using SPSS v-23. Descriptive analysis showed frequency and percentage, and logistic regression explored associations between menstrual hygiene practices (MHP) and demographic variables. Results: Out of 482 participants, 82.3% got primary menses information, mostly from mothers (77.8%). About 48.5% had average menstruation knowledge, and 76.8% followed proper MHP. Urban areas showed 4.368 times higher MHP practice than rural areas, revealing a significant relationship. Conclusions: Study finds Mangalore high school girls generally maintain average menstrual hygiene practices. It is very important to set up suitable disposal facilities in schools and to organise awareness campaigns on good menstrual hygiene habits. Thus, it contributes to improving quality of life.

Role of Academic Institutions in Promoting Menstrual Hygiene Management among School Girls in Lofa County, Liberia. Evidence from a Mixed-method Survey in Senior High Schools in Voinjama City

Role of Academic Institutions in Promoting Menstrual Hygiene Management among School Girls in Lofa County, Liberia. Evidence from a Mixed-method Survey in Senior High Schools in Voinjama City

The Effect of PDEODE and SWOM Strategies in Developing 10th Grade Literary Students’ Historical Thinking Skills

The current study which is an extract from a PhD dissertation adopted a mixed- method, experimental-design to find out the effect of PDEODE and SWOM strategies in developing tenth- grade literary students’ historical thinking skills. The sample of the study consists of sixty tenth grade students from the literary branch at Tafan Preparatory School for Girls. After equalizing them, they are divided in this way: Group A regarded as the first experimental group taught by PDEODE strategy, Group B as the control group taught conventionally and group C taught by SWOM strategy as the second experimental group. For each of these groups, a twenty- four daily teaching plan was used and a 30- item test was prepared by the researcher to know the effect of these strategies in developing historical thinking skills. After analyzing the data through the statistical method ONE- WAY ANNOVA, it was displayed that there are statistically significant differences among the groups in a way the first experimental group is better than the second experimental and control groups. It was also concluded that PDEODE and SWOM as two new teaching strategies can provide appropriate platform for improving teaching and learning processes as they focus on students’ intellectual, psychological and personal dimensions, making them the center of the process which enables them to apply their knowledge in different contexts.

Determinants of timely administration of the birth dose of hepatitis B vaccine in Senegal in 2019: Secondary analysis of the demographic and health survey.

In developing countries, hepatitis B is spread primarily by the perinatal or horizontal route. Thus, the Senegalese government recommends administering the birth dose of the hepatitis B vaccine (HepB0) within 24 hours of birth. The objective was to identify the determinants of timely administration of HepB0 in Senegal in 2019. A secondary analysis of the demographic and health survey was carried out. The study population consisted of children aged 12 to 23 months. A cluster survey, stratified in urban and rural areas, drawn at two stages, was carried out. Individual interviews were conducted. Logistic regression was applied to estimate the adjusted odds ratio (aOR) and their 95% confidence interval. In total, 1130 children were included. Among them, 48.1% were born to mothers aged 25 to 34, 46.8% were male and 82.6% were born in health facilities. The average time between birth and HepB0 administration was 13.1±46.6 days. The median is 0 days [IQR: 0-12] with a minimum of 0 days and a maximum of 414 days. Among 747 children vaccinated, only 65.2% were vaccinated within 24 hours of birth. The determinants were maternal age of at least 35 years (aOR = 2.03 [1.29-3.20]), primary education of the mother (aOR = 1.94 [1.13-3. 35]), at least four antenatal care visits (aOR = 1.74 [1.12-2.69]), belonging to the central (ORa = 0.22 [0.11-0.44]) and northern regions (aOR = 0.18 [0.08-0.40]), and delivery in a health facility (aOR = 3.42 [1.90-6.15]). Education and keeping girls in school, local postnatal care in hard-to-reach regions, promotion of antenatal acre and delivery in a health facility should improve the timeliness of HepB0 vaccination.

The relationship between Rose Anna Shedlock (c1850-1878) and Emile Roux (1853-1933).

The famous French scientist, Emile Roux, was previously discovered to have been secretly married to an English woman, Rose Anna Shedlock, one of the first women medical school students in Britain and Europe. Emile and Rose most likely met while in medical school in Paris, although for very different reasons, neither graduated. It was previously suggested that Rose left medical school after only a few years, although we present new evidence that that she was still a medical student four years later when she would have been near completion. Regardless, Rose moved back to England prior to taking her qualifying exams, where we found she lived at a girl's boarding school where one of her sisters was head mistress. In the following year, Emile travelled to London where he and Rose were married in a quiet civil ceremony. Soon after the wedding, Emile returned to Paris where he began working as an assistant to Louis Pasteur. In a tragic twist of fate, Rose died a year later in Madeira, which we have now noted was within days of when Emile performed his breakthrough experiments that led to the creation of vaccines in the laboratory.

Do Sanitary Pads Improve Girls' Educational Outcomes?

Abstract Using a staggered installation of sanitary pad vending machines across schools in the Indian state of Kerala, we study the impacts of free monthly access to sanitary pads on girls' educational outcomes. We find that the number of dropouts among female students in the 7th-grade decrease by 24 percentage points and the attendance rate increases by 23 percentage points after the treatment. Our results are mainly driven by girls in backward-caste, rural schools, and public schools, supporting the idea that free distribution of sanitary pads alleviates cost of obtaining sanitary pads.

Implementation Of Weekly Conversation Program (Muhadatsah) To Improve The Daily Speaking Ability "At Darut Taqwa Bungkal Ponorogo"

Speaking plays an important role in social interaction with others to obtain or exchange information because speaking is one way to express feelings, ideas, experiences, and knowledge to others. As well as the position of English in Darut Taqwa Islamic Boarding School is a mandatory language in daily communication. This condition requires Darut Taqwa Islamic Boarding School to prepare efforts to support the students' language learning process. Therefore, Darut Taqwa Islamic Boarding School established a program, namely Weekly Conversation (Muhadatsah) to teach students speaking skills directly and actively daily in the dormitory environment. Speaking skills need to be taught because speaking is one of the basic skills that someone in learning a foreign language must master. The objectives of this study are to 1) Describe the Weekly Conversation Program (Muhadatsah): objectives, materials, learning organization, learning experiences, strategies, and evaluation, implemented to improve daily speaking ability at Darut Taqwa Islamic Boarding School for girls. 2) Describe the obstacle students face in the Weekly Conversation Program (Muhadatsah). This research was designed using a qualitative method with a case study design. Data were collected through observation, interview, and documentation. Data were analyzed using Miles and Huberman with data reduction, data display, and conclusions. The results showed that 1) Implementation of the Weekly Conversation Program (Muhadatsah) to improve the daily speaking ability at the Darut Taqwa Islamic boarding school for girls, which there are elements: Objectives, Materials, Learning Organization, Learning Experience, Strategy, and Evaluation. 2) Obstacles faced by students in the Weekly Conversation Program (Muhadatsah).

The Activity of Sab’u al-Munjiyat Recitation on TMI al-Amien Prenduan Islamic Boarding School for Girls: The Perspective of Anthropology Theory

This article aims to reveal the practice of reciting Sab’u al-Munjiyat carried out at Pondok Pesantren Tarbiyatul Mu’allimin al-Islamiyah (TMI) Putri al-Amien Prenduan, Sumenep, Madura. In daily routines, the students are required to participate in the recitation of Sab’u al-Munjiyat after the congregational Asr prayer. Sab’u al-Munjiyat consists of seven selected surahs from the Qur'an: Surah Al-Sajdah, Yasin, Al-Dukhan, Al-Waqi'ah, Al-Mulk, Al-Insan, and Al-Buruj. This research is a field study and uses a qualitative research method. Data collection was performed through observation, interviews, and document analysis. Data analysis was conducted using the anthropological approach of Heddy Shri Ahimsa-Putra. The findings indicate that the tradition of reciting Sab’u al-Munjiyat at Pondok Pesantren TMI al-Amien Prenduan originated from an innovation by the student organization (ISTAMA), which is based on the transmission of prophetic traditions that can still be preserved today. This is supported by numerous hadiths that describe the virtues of reciting these surahs. The structure of the recitation tradition at Pondok Pesantren TMI Putri al-Amien Prenduan can be classified into two structures: the subject structure and the structure of the Sab’u al-Munjiyat recitation. The function of this recitation tradition is to understand and seek the benefits of these seven chosen surahs, to seek safety, and to contribute to the development of Qur’anic character among the students.Abstrak: Artikel ini bertujuan untuk mengungkap kegiatan pembacaan sab’u al-munjiyat yang dilaksanakan di Pondok Pesantren Tarbiyatul Mu’allimin al-Islamiyah (TMI) Putri al-Amien Prenduan, Sumenep, Madura. Dalam kesehariannya para santri diwajibkan untuk mengikuti kegiatan pembacaan sab’u al-munjiyat usai salat ashar berjamaah. Sab’u al-munjiyat merupakan kumpulan tujuh surah pilihan di dalam Al-Qur’an, yakni al-Sajadah, Yasin, al-Dukhan, al-Waqi’ah, al-Mulk, al-Insan, dan al-Buruj. Penelitian ini termasuk penelitian lapangan dan dikaji menggunakan metode penelitian kualitatif. Pengumpulan data diperoleh melalui observasi, wawancara, dan studi dokumentasi. Selanjutnya analisis data dilakukan dengan menggunakan pendekatan antropologi Heddy Shri Ahimsa-Putra. Hasil penelitian ini menunjukkan bahwa tradisi pembacaan sab’u al-munjiyat di Pondok Pesantren TMI al-Amien Prenduan bermula dari salah satu inovasi program pengurus organisasi santri (ISTAMA), yang memiliki landasan sebagai bentuk transmisi dari tradisi kenabian yang masih dapat dilestarikan hingga generasi saat ini. Hal tersebut berlandaskan dari banyaknya hadis-hadis yang menjelaskan keutamaan tentang seseorang yang membaca surah-surah tersebut. Adapun struktur yang terdapat dalam tradisi pembacaan yang ada di Pondok Pesantren TMI Putri al-Amien Prenduan dapat diklasifikasikan menjadi dua struktur, yaitu struktur subjek dan struktur pembacaan sab’u al-munjiyat, sedangkan fungsi dari tradisi pembacaan sab’u al-munjiyat untuk mengetahui dan mengharapkan fadilah dari tujuh surah pilihan, mengharapkan keselamatan, serta upaya dalam pembentukan karakter qur’ani dalam diri para santri.

The Effect of Health Education using Animated Videos on Elementary School Girls' Behavior in Facing Menarche in Pasaman Barat District

The Effect of Health Education using Animated Videos on Elementary School Girls' Behavior in Facing Menarche in Pasaman Barat District

THE INFLUENCE AWARENESS OF THE RE-ENTRY POLICY ON ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF RE-ADMITTED TEENAGE MOTHERS IN KENYA

Teenage pregnancy is a global concern and interventions have been undertaken by governments to return them to school. In Kenya, it is established that over 380,000 school girls between the ages of 12-18 get pregnant annually constituting 18.1%. The purpose of the study, was to analyze whether the awareness of re-entry policy influences the academic performance of teenage mothers in secondary schools in Kenya. The study found out that several issues within awareness may contribute to academic performance of teenage mothers within the re-entry policy that include; a public awareness on teenage mother’s re–admission to school and some persons in the society were against the re- admission of teenage mothers back to school. Further, the re-entry policy of teenage mothers had inconsistent guidelines and how schools are to support the teenage mothers. Lastly, many teenage mothers drop out of school due to lack of awareness of the re-entry policy leading to failure of the policy. KEY WORDS: academic performance, re-entry policy, teenage mothers

Sexual violence against liberian school girls: White benevolence, anti-black racism, and colonial continuities in post conflict recovery

This article addresses the practices of white benevolence as it (re)produces anti-Black racism in the post-conflict country of Liberia. This is undertaken through an analysis of the ProPublica documentary “Unprotected” which chronicles sexual violence against Liberian girls at the More Than Me Academy, linked to the broader practices of gendered colonialism and racism. More than Me was founded in 2008 by Katie Meyler, a young, white American woman, to save Liberian school girls from sexual exploitation by providing them with educational opportunities; but the school became a hunting ground for sexual gender-based violence for which those in charge claimed ignorance. Katie Meyler and More than Me can be placed in the longer, iterative history of colonialism that unfold(ed) in discourses and practices of white benevolence such that structural forms of anti-Black violence are both obscured and tolerated. Furthermore, the article addresses the social reproductive work undertaken by Liberian women, especially those who were at the forefront of mass protests to end the civil war (1989-2003), and who continue to prioritize education and gender equality, viewed as central to sustainable peace and transitional justice.

Differences in elementary-age children’s accelerometer - measured physical activity between school and summer: three-year findings from the What’s UP (Undermining Prevention) with summer observational cohort study

BackgroundAmong elementary-aged children (5-12yrs), summer vacation is associated with accelerated gains in Body Mass Index (BMI). A key behavioral driver of BMI gain is a lack of physical activity (PA). Previous studies indicate PA decreases during summer, compared to the school year but whether this difference is consistent among boys and girls, across age, and by income status remains unclear. This study examined differences in school and summer movement behaviors in a diverse cohort of children across three years.MethodsChildren (N = 1,203, age range 5–14 years, 48% girls) wore wrist-placed accelerometers for a 14-day wear-period during school (April/May) and summer (July) in 2021 to 2023, for a total of 6 timepoints. Mixed-effects models examined changes in school vs. summer movement behaviors (moderate-to-vigorous physical activity [MVPA], sedentary) for boys and girls, separately, and by age and household income groups (low, middle, and upper based on income-to-poverty ratio).ResultsChildren provided a total of 35,435 valid days of accelerometry. Overall, boys (+ 9.1 min/day, 95CI 8.1 to 10.2) and girls (+ 6.2 min/day, 95CI 5.4 to 7.0) accumulated more MVPA during school compared to summer. Boys accumulated less time sedentary (-9.9 min/day, 95CI -13.0 to -6.9) during school, while there was no difference in sedentary time (-2.7 min/day, 95CI -5.7 to 0.4) for girls. Different patterns emerged across ages and income groups. Accumulation of MVPA was consistently greater during school compared to summer across ages and income groups. Generally, the difference between school and summer widened with increasing age, except for girls from middle-income households. Accumulation of sedentary time was higher during school for younger children (5-9yrs), whereas for older children (10-14yrs), sedentary time was greater during summer for the middle- and upper-income groups. For boys from low-income households and girls from middle-income households, sedentary time was consistently greater during summer compared to school across ages.ConclusionsChildren are less active and more sedentary during summer compared to school, which may contribute to accelerated BMI gain. However, this differs by biological sex, age, and income. These findings highlight the complex factors influencing movement behaviors between school and summer.

Beyond Averages: Unpacking Disparities in School-Based Vaccination Coverage in Eastern Sydney: An Ecological Analysis.

School vaccination programs are crucial for achieving high immunisation coverage among adolescents, but substantial disparities exist across schools and regions. This ecological study aimed to determine associations between school characteristics and vaccination coverage for diphtheria-tetanus-acellular pertussis (dTpa) and human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines among year 7 students in southeastern Sydney. An analysis of data from 70 mainstream schools participating in the 2019 South Eastern Sydney Local Health District School Vaccination Program utilised quasi-Poisson regression models to assess associations between vaccination coverage and school attendance, socio-educational status, Aboriginal enrolments, language background other than English (LBOTE), school sector (government, Catholic, or independent), and coeducation status. Median school coverage was 88% for dTpa, 88% for HPV-girls, and 86% for HPV-boys, with interquartile ranges of 82-93%, 84-92%, and 78-91%, respectively. Higher school attendance was associated with increased dTpa vaccination coverage (PR 1.14, 95% CI 1.02-1.27). Single-sex schools showed higher HPV vaccination coverage compared to coeducational schools for both girls (PR 2.24, 95% CI 2.04-2.46) and boys (PR 1.89, 95% CI 1.72-2.08). No significant associations were found for ICSEA, Aboriginal enrolments, LBOTE, or school sector. School attendance and coeducational status significantly influenced vaccination coverage, with differential impacts on dTpa and HPV vaccines. These findings highlight the need for targeted strategies to address disparities in school-based vaccination programs. Research using qualitative methods could be useful to understand the beliefs and attitudes contributing to these disparities in vaccine uptake so that programs can be tailored to maximise participation.

Gender, materiality and culture: South African teachers’ accounts of sexual violence among primary school girls

This article explores the role of materiality in shaping primary school teachers’ understandings of girls’ risk to and experience of gender and sexual violence in a rural setting in South Africa. Drawing from photovoice and semi-structured individual interviews involving nine primary school teachers, the article illustrates the entanglement of space, living conditions, economic deprivation with gender and cultural norms that heighten girls’ vulnerability to sexual violence. The findings point to teachers’ knowledge of the cultural and socio-material realties that produces girls’ sexual risk. Teachers drew attention to the poverty, child-headed households, family distress that increased vulnerability to sexual risk. Furthermore, teachers directed attention to the failure to report rape within families linking it to fear, shame and financial dependency on the perpetrator. The article concludes with reflections on the vital role of teachers in addressing sexual violence in a context where girls’ voices are often silenced.