∗ By George Psacharopoulos and Maureen Woodhall, A World Bank Publication by Oxford University Press (1985), £9.95 ISBN 0-19 520478-6.

Education of development: an Analysis of investment choices∗

Education is an effective way to improve girls’ self-worth, health, and productivity; however there remains a gender gap between girls’ and boys’ completion of school. The literature around factors influencing girls’ decision to stay in school is limited. Seven focus group discussions took place among 79 girls in forms 2 to 4 at secondary schools in rural western Kenya, to examine their views on why girls absent themselves or dropout from school. Data were analysed thematically. Lack of resources, sexual relationships with boyfriends, and menstrual care problems were reported to lead directly to dropout or school absence. These were tied to girls increased vulnerability to pregnancy, poor performance in school, and punishments, which further increase school absence and risk of dropout. Poverty, unmet essential needs, coercive sexual relationships, and an inequitable school environment collude to counter girls’ resolve to complete their schooling. Lack of resources drive girls to have sex with boyfriends or men who provide them with essentials their family cannot afford, such as sanitary pads and transport to school. While these improve quality of their school life, this dynamic increases their exposure to sexual risk, pregnancy, punishment, and dropout. Evaluation of interventions to ameliorate these challenges is warranted, including provision of pocket money to address their needs.

/pdf/he-is-the-one-who-is-providing-you-with-everything-so-233gm8wgvu.pdf

'He is the one who is providing you with everything so whatever he says is what you do': A Qualitative Study on Factors Affecting Secondary Schoolgirls’ Dropout in Rural Western Kenya

Early Marriage, Pregnancy and Girl Child School Dropout

Universalisation of primary education (UPE) has been a global issue since the early sixties, yet several decades later and even in the 21 st century, many countries in Sub-Saharan Africa are still grappling with it. Unlike their counterparts in the developed world, its realisation in developing countries has been faced with a myriad of constraints. Kenya has a long standing commitment to providing educational access to its primary school going children. This has been reflected in the country’s Economic Plans, Sessional papers and other development plans. Most importantly, Kenya acknowledges provision of basic education for its citizens as a human right, as is enshrined in the Constitution of Kenya (2010). Furthermore, Kenyan citizens have a right to free and compulsory education as is stipulated in the Basic Education Bill of 2012. Moreover, Vision2030 has acknowledged education as a component of the social pillars. Although the first step towards this was articulated by the Kenyan government immediately after independence in 1963 and later in 2003, little has been done to establish the extent to which Universal Primary Education has been advanced in Kenya. Therefore, there is need to do stock taking of the advancements made towards this goal. Furthermore, examining of the obstacles that have persistently hindered its success over the years is critical for realisation of universal education. This paper will therefore address the extent to which universalisation of primary education has contributed to advancement of access to basic education and the obstacles that have hindered its success.

/pdf/universal-primary-education-in-kenya-advancement-and-2j9ehfr0aq.pdf

Universal Primary Education in Kenya: Advancement and Challenges.

Learner pregnancy in South Africa's Eastern Cape: The factors affecting adolescent girls' school withdrawal during pregnancy

The role of education in socializing the individual to fit in the society cannot be gainsaid. This is because education empowers people to improve their well being and participation in nation building. But recent research has shown that the spate of school drop-out among primary school pupils is worrying. This is happening in Kenya despite the inception of Free Primary Education programme in 2003. Practically pupils’ drop out poses a serious threat to gains in education despite the Government’s emphasis on Education for All by the year 2015. In Nandi North District, the problem is more pronounced among the primary pupils. The study therefore was conceived as a result of the increased pupil dropout rate in public primary schools causing wastage and affecting curriculum implementation. The study sought to establish the causes of drop out among pupils and strategies that institutions of learning can adopt to address this problem.  The study adopted descriptive survey design. It targeted 6322 standard eight pupils, 2569 class teachers and 286 head teachers. Out of this target population, a sample size of 1970 standard eight pupils, 769 class teachers and 86 head teachers was selected. Data were collected using class teachers' and pupils' questionnaires and head teachers' interview guide to gather information on the causes of school dropout. Data were analyzed by use of descriptive statistics and the findings presented in form of figures and tables. The study findings indicated that teenage pregnancy, chronic repetition, family size, lack of motivation for schooling, parental negligence, influence from peers, lack of trained teacher counsellors and early marriages were the main causes of school dropout. It further pointed out that the factors leading to the dropout of girls are different from those for boys. The study therefore recommends that the government and other stakeholders should address the issue of school dropout rate and come up with measures to curb it to avoid wastage of school curriculum resources and facilities and above all, wastage of them would be future leaders full of discovery knowledge for this current era of information and technology. In addition, the government should strengthen policies on the expenditure of the FPE set aside to benefit all children for quality education. Keywords: Drop Out, Pupils, Rural Primary Schools, Kenya, Nandi North District, Kenya

/pdf/drop-out-among-pupils-in-rural-primary-schools-in-kenya-the-2mzggxn0k8.pdf

Abel Nyamesa Morara

Papers

Drop out among Pupils in Rural Primary Schools in Kenya: The Case of Nandi North District, Kenya