An Assessment on Viability of the Modalities for Provision of Primary Education to the Children of Pastoralists in Afar Region of Ethiopia
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Date
2017-03-20
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
The purpose of the study was to assess the viability of the modalities to provision of primary
education for the children of pastoralists in Afar National Regional State. It was assessed
alongside the strategies and standards designed to promote education in pastoral areas of
Ethiopia. To this end, the study examined the relevancy of Alternative Modalities, their
implementations and effectiveness. Mixed methods research approach with concurrent embedded
design was employed. Using stratified, purposeful, random and snowball-sampling techniques, a
total of 58 learning centers, schools and offices were used as data sources. 291 individuals have
been involved in the study. The data were collected using questionnaires, interview, focus group
discussion and document analysis. Qualitative data were analyzed with comparative and content
analysis techniques. Quantitative data were analyzed with mean, percentages, t-tests, One-Way
Analysis of Variance, and Kruskal-Wallis tests. The study unveiled mobility, child labor,
drought, poverty, and funding problems were the main challenges to use the formal school
system. Some of the existing strategies and input standards of alternative modalities were found
wanting; due attention was not given for alternative modalities. Alternative Basic Education
found to be successful to get enrolled the target areas’ children and maintained gender parity but
could not retain those enrolled and maintain quality. The Region lacks implementation capacity
to make the modalities effective. In short, the modalities were not found to be viable to promote
quality education for all pastoral children. Suggestions were forwarded to improve some of the
strategies and standards, to redesign the management structures, to develop strategies to secure
competent teachers if Sustainable development goal four is needed to meet by 2030. Otherwise,
the pastoral children will remain disadvantaged.
Key words: alternative modality, relevant, viability, pastoralist, challenge, strategy, standard
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Keywords
Alternative Modality, Relevant, Viability, Pastoralist, Strategy, Standard