Factors Affecting Females’ Participation in Education: The Case of Tocha Woreda in SNNPR

Buraka, Kassa Shurke (2006) Factors Affecting Females’ Participation in Education: The Case of Tocha Woreda in SNNPR. Masters thesis, Addis Ababa University.

[img] PDF (Factors Affecting Females’ Participation in Education: The Case of Tocha Woreda in SNNPR)
Buraka, Kassa Shurke.pdf - Accepted Version
Restricted to Repository staff only

Download (568kB) | Request a copy

Abstract

Education is a tool to enable citizens to make all rounded participation in development process. The participation of females in socio-economic programs especially depends on their educational background. Educating girls and women is critical to achieve the benefits as well as the improvement in the areas of health, fertility and nutrition. Thus, females must be treated equally with males to attain educational access, which is necessary to increase their participation in different development programs. International treaties, conventions, laws & policies set a legal commitment on the right of education and gender equality. However, gross and net enrollment differences in schooling of females prevail. Females remain under represented at all levels of education. The females’ participation gap in education is wide in developing countries, one of which is Ethiopia. Ethiopia is one of the developing countries with low females’ participation in education. Statistics reveals that the number of female students in primary, secondary and higher education is not equal to that of male students. This low participation is one of the causes for females’ to be underprivileged and underrepresented in development programs. If low females participation in education continues, the Country would probably have a problem in achieving MDGs Goal 3 Target 4. These raise the issue that the role of education and female participation should be analyzed and studied. The aim of this research was to identify factors affecting females’ participation in education in Dawuro Zone, Tocha woreda. To attain this objective, information on school enrollment and school age population was gathered from documents of the Ministry of Education and SNNPREB. Further more, formal questionnaires were distributed to 260 female students, school principals and teachers. On the other hand, focused-group discussion was held with 56 female students’ parents and with six woreda educational officials to gather information on factors that have contributed to low female participation in education. Percentages were predominantly used to indicate the magnitude of respondents’ opinion and assumptions against each statement. The results of the study showed that factors that affected females participation in education are: qualification of teachers, parents demand of female child labor, school cost such as house rent, food supply cost, long distance to school, parents’ poverty, fear of male harassment, lack of role models, dropout, abduction or “telefa”, parents’ religion type, early marriage, parents’ illiteracy and worry of unwanted pregnancy. These are the major reasons for low female participation in education in the study area. According to the study, the following have been recommended to improve females’ participation in Tocha Woreda. Recruiting qualified teachers, conducting workshops and seminars with parents and religious leaders to make society and parents aware on the benefits of female education. Building 2nd cycle primary and secondary schools at reasonable distances, building boarding houses for distant female students, improving home technologies to minimize the incidence of female child labor are also recommended. Furthermore recruiting more female teachers to be role models, school principals and concerned government bodies offering especial support to female students, take serious measures on forced and early marriage would help to increase females’ participation in education.

Item Type: Thesis (Masters)
Subjects: H Social Sciences > HQ The family. Marriage. Woman
L Education > LC Special aspects of education
Divisions: Africana
Depositing User: Tim Khabala
Date Deposited: 14 Jun 2018 10:08
Last Modified: 14 Jun 2018 10:08
URI: http://thesisbank.jhia.ac.ke/id/eprint/4285

Actions (login required)

View Item View Item