Factors Responsible for the Rate of Dropping Out of Secondary School (a Case Study of Orhionmwon Local Government Area Edo State)
CHAPTER ONE
OBJECTIVE OF STUDY
The purpose of this study was to determine the main factor responsible for the rate of dropout from school in Orhionmwon local government.
The study examined the effect of factors such as graduate unemployment, early marriage, unexpected pregnancy, student’s financial difficulties and educational levels, socio-economics status and family size on the rate of drop out from school.
It further sought to ascertain other relevant problems relating to the rate of dropout from school.
CHAPTER TWO
REVIEW OF RELATED LITRETURE
CONCEPTUAL FRAME WORK
EARLY MARRIAGE AND EDUCATION
Arguments from research and advocacy groups against early marriage generally approach the issue from health, human rights, and/or economic perspectives (Jenson & Thornton, 2009; Walker, 2013). Health arguments stress that young girls are often not physically ready for pregnancy and childbirth (which often follow marriage), that they are less equipped to defend against sexually transmitted diseases, and less prepared to raise healthy children (Otoo-Oyortey, 2003; UNFPA, 2012). Human rights arguments observe that early marriage violates the rights of children, including rights to protection against violence and to education, and women’s sexual and reproductive rights (Ibid.). Economic arguments maintain that the low skills and missed earnings potential from girls who marry young stifles individual opportunities for marketplace participation and national economic development (Vogelstein, 2013; UNICEF, 2001).
These arguments establish early marriage as an alarming multi-dimensional issue, one that intersects at many points with education and particularly girls’ education efforts. Research points to common factors and circumstances that constrain educational participation and maintain early marriage (and child-bearing) practices, such as school accessibility, school water and sanitation, socioeconomic factors, social norms that devalue women, poverty, and rural residence (Lloyd & Mensch, 2008; UNFPA, 2012; UNICEF, 2005). Moreover, education helps mitigate the negative effects often associated with early marriage. Educated girls are more likely to be healthy, have healthy families, enjoy a sense of personal empowerment, understand their own rights, and have greater skills and more economic potential. Even more directly, higher levels of education are often linked to lower incidences of marriage (UNESCO, 2014), while early marriage is considered effectively incompatible with continued formal education given the new set of responsibilities that require girls to care for a new household and, possibly, for children (Jenson & Thornton, 2009).
CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
INTRODUCTION
This chapter covers the description and discussion on the various techniques and procedures used in the study to collect and analyze the data as it is deemed appropriate
Research Design
For this study, the survey research design was adopted. The choice of the design was informed by the objectives of the study as outlined in chapter one. This research design provides a quickly efficient and accurate means of assessing information about a population of interest. It intends to assess factors responsible for the rate of dropping out of secondary schools.
The study will be conducted in Edo State State, Nigeria.
Population of the Study
A total of 800 questionnaires were distributed. Although only 200 were returned and completed. This will serve as the Population of the study.
CHAPTER FOUR
DATA PRESENTATION, DATA ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION
This chapter is devoted to the presentation, analysis and interpretation of the data gathered in the course of this study. The data are based on the number of copies of the questionnaire completed and returned by the respondents. The data are presented in tables and the analysis is done using the chi-square test and pearson correlation.
DATA PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS
The data presented below were gathered during field work.
CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY CONCLUSION AND RECOMMEDATION
The purpose of this study was to determine the main factor responsible for the rate of dropout from school in Orhionmwon local government.
The study examined the effect of factors such as graduate unemployment, early marriage, unexpected pregnancy, student’s financial difficulties and educational levels, socio-economics status and family size on the rate of drop out from school.
It further sought to ascertain other relevant problems relating to the rate of dropout from school.
FINDINGS
We were able to find out from the responses of the respondents that:
- Students dropout of secondary school because of financial difficulties
- Parents status has significant effect on the financial strength of secondary school students
- Children from poor homes are prone to dropout from school
- Unexpected pregnancy makes student dropout from secondary school
- Early marriage and unexpected pregnancy factor has significant effect on the level of dropout in senior secondary school
CONCLUSION
We therefore conclude from the responses of the respondents that there is significant relationship between financial stability and the level of drop of senior secondary school students since there is a statistically significant (0.00) strong (0.849) relationship between the responses of the respondents that said that Students dropout of secondary school because of financial difficulties and those that said that Parents status has significant effect on the financial strength of secondary school students.
RECOMMENDATION
From the findings, some recommendations were made such as:
- The mass literacy campaign programme should be intensified. Parents and guardians should be well informed that education is not only for employment.
- Free education at least to secondary school level should be pursued.
REFERENCES
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- A primer for using and understanding weights with national datasets. The Journal of Experimental Education, 73(3), 221-248. Retrieved from http://education.ufl.edu/educational-research/ files/2011/01/Hahs-Vaughn_2005_Using-weights-withnational-datasets.pdf ICF International. (2012).
- Demographic and Health Survey sampling and household listing manual. Retrieved from http://www.measuredhs.com/pubs/pdf/DHSM4/DHS6_ Sampling_Manual_Sept2012_DHSM4.pdf ICRW. (2013). I Know. I Want. I Dream. Girls’ insights for building a better world. International Center for Research on Women. Retrieved from http://www.icrw.org/publications/iknow-i-want-i-dream Jaccard, J. (2001).
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