Causes of Dropout of Students in Government Second Cycle Primary Schools of West Hararge Zone
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Date
2011-06
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
The study was setout to assess the magnitude of dropout of primary schools in West
Hararge zone and factors affecting it. In order to achieve this purpose, basic question
were raised that intended to address the magnitude of dropout by grade level and sex and
factors behind dropout of the system. Descriptive survey method was employed in this
study. Moreover, both probability and non-probability sampling technique were used.
Accordingly, 7 woredas and one(1) town administration were selected from 14 woreda
and two town administrations found in the zone using simple random sampling. From the
total of 82 complete primary schools found in the sample woredas, 30 complete primary
schools were again randomly selected and included in the study. Principals, teachers,
student (dropout), PTAs, zone and district supervision work process owners were used as
the primary source of data. Questionnaire, semi-structured interview and FGD guides
were used as the means of data gathering tools. Moreover, document analysis was
intensively made to compute the magnitude (trend) of dropout by grade level and sex of
the students' population. Before administrating the questionnaire, pilot test was
conducted in two primary schools for validity and reliability of the items. After data were
gathered, analysis was made using tables, frequencies, percentage, mean, weighted mean
and spearman's rank correlation coefficient. The data revealed that the rate of dropout in
primary schools of the study area is 12.9% in 2006107, 14.8%,2007108. 16.4%, 2008109
high and its trend shows a tendency of increasing except 2009110. The data further
indicate that the problem is more serious among boys than girls. Low quality teaching,
lack of school facilities, large class size, irrelevance curriculum, long home-school
distance, poor school community relation, shortage of qualified teachers, and lack of
training for school managers were the cause for dropout of student. Above all, inability
to afford both direct and indirect costs of education, demand for child labor, lack of
material and financial support, early marriage (Teenage pregnancy) and lack of family
awareness were found to be the major impediments of dropout. Poor academic
performance of students, low future success expectation and repeated absenteeism were
also the other student elated problems that causes student to dropout. To alleviate these
problems, recruiting more teachers, improving quality of education in general,
diversifYing mode of delivery, creating open dialogue with community on sustainable
basis, launching various support mechanism for economically poor students. building
boarding schools, making curriculum relevant, earlier identification of potential dropout,
creating job opportunities, and conducting further multivariate and longitudinal research
on the issue were suggested
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Keywords
Students; Government