Factors Affecting Female Student Dropout Rates in Hargeisa, Somaliland High Schools

Introduction

The dropout of female students in a society's education system has a significant negative impact on the country's education budget, particularly when there are plans to increase secondary education opportunities, despite the fact that education is the foundation of economic development in any society [1].

According to a study, gender inequality still exists in some regions, leading to obstacles that prevent girls from completing their education [2]. As a result, they will soon be unable to compete with the males not just in education but also in other socioeconomic prospects throughout their life. Furthermore, there is an absurdity in the scenario. Literacy continues to be a fundamental hindrance to women's growth and psychological well-being [3].

In Africa, only 51% of students complete their education [4]. This is due to a combination of factors such as low enrolment, an increasing number of students dropping out of school, and high rates of grade repetition, leading to a low level of educational achievement in the region.

Despite the rise in female student dropouts, which is affecting the economies of many countries in the region, there has been a lack of thorough research on the root causes and effects of this issue.

Despite this, females drop out of school in Hargeisa, Somaliland's capital, where the study was performed. The factors are tied to early traditional ways of thinking and are accompanied by present financial groupings in Somaliland. In other words, there are three types of causes: cultural influences, social factors, and economic reasons.

According to a 2021 research conducted jointly by Somaliland Education Statistics and the Central Statistics Department, the total dropout rate in secondary schools is 3% for boys and 5.3% for girls [5]. According to their research, the dropout rate in secondary schools continues to rise in these two middle years, form 2 and form 3.

The government of Somaliland allocating limited resources to education, there are still high rates of female dropout in secondary schools. As there are no available statistics on female enrolment in Somaliland, Somalia was used as an example, where data shows that only 23% of total primary school admittance was made up of girls between 2005 and 2009, and this number appears to have declined even further, with less than 12% of girls continuing on to secondary education [6].

Some parents restrict their daughters from attending school for fear that if they are educated, they would refuse to marry or will be unable to find a guy who will marry an educated lady. Furthermore, in some rural sections of the nation, when females married, they might be a valuable source of bride price. As a result, parents may decide not to send their girls to school or push them to marry at an early age [7].

There is an issue with students, particularly females, dropping out of secondary school for various reasons. But the main thing we've implemented for this research is that Hargeisa research like this, this has never been done before, investigates the variables that drive females to drop out of high school education. The purpose of this study is to look at the variables that lead to the high dropout rate of female secondary school students in Hargeisa, Somaliland. The study was conducted with specific objectives in mind, which includes examining the impact of domestic work, evaluating the role of parental attitudes, and determining the influence of the community's perception of girls' education in Hargeisa.

Methods And Materials

Study area

This study was carried out from March to June 2022 at Hargeisa, Somaliland. It is located in the Maroodi Jeh region, and it’s Capital City of Somaliland. Hargeisa consists of five main districts. Its geographic location latitude is 9.562389 and longitude is 44.077011.

Population of the Study

The individuals targeted by the study were: principals, teachers, female students and parents.

Study Design

For this study, the most appropriate research design is a descriptive survey design. This choice is based on the design's ability to produce a highly representative sample, as well as the ease with which the researcher can gather the opinions of study participants [8].

Sampling Method and Sample Size Calculation

Respondents were carefully chosen based on the nature of the study, with confidence that they would be able to provide the necessary data. Purposive sampling was also utilized to determine the groups of people who would be sampled for the research. The following formula will be used:

n=(z²*pq)/e²                         (1)

Where, n = the sample size p= proportion of the specified group; q= proportion of the specified category; z= z value (z = 1.65 for 90% confidence level); e= margin of error. As a result, a total of 68 respondents were required for the study.

Data Collection Tools

The primary tool utilized for data collection in the study was the questionnaire. This instrument was chosen as the preferred method for gathering the necessary information. To ensure the completeness of the data, the questionnaire was segmented into four distinct sections, specifically tailored for the principal, teachers, students, and parents.

Data Analysis Techniques

Afterwards the collection of raw data in the field, it is modified, cleaned up, and ultimately loaded into the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS), and (Excel) validity checks were performed, and unreliable information was suitably cleared. The data was shown using methods of descriptive statistics such as charts, tables that display frequencies, and percentages.

Results and Discussion

Results

The Demographic Characteristics of Respondents

Table 1 shows demographic characteristic of the respondents such as type of secondary schools, school ownership, and age of the students and length of service as teachers were collected. Sixty-three percent of the principals reported their high schools in Hargeisa have a mix (both boys and girls), while 37% said their secondary schools in Hargeisa are girl's schools. Similarly, 63% of the principles indicated that their secondary schools of Hargeisa are private schools while 37% are public schools. On the other hand, 3%, 10%, 20%, and 67% of the students aged below 14 years, 20-25 years, 14-17 years, and 17-20 years, and respectively, while 31% of the teachers indicated had experience 3-6 years, 25% of teacher had experience 6-9 years and 44% had experience above 10 years.

                                                Table 1: The Demographic Characteristics of Respondents

Effects of Parents on Girl Child Education

According to the data presented in Table 2, 79% of the parents acknowledged their role in supporting girl child education and decreasing dropout rates, while 21% claimed to have no role in this matter. Conversely, 87% of the principals believed that parental care played a critical role in the education of girl children, while 13% thought otherwise. In addition, 64% of the parents reported facing challenges in sending their children to school, while 36% did not encounter any difficulties. Some parents cited financial constraints due to having multiple children to support, while others claimed to have adequate resources to pay for school fees.

                                                      Table 2: Effects of Parents on Girl Child Education

Effects of Community on Girl Child Education

According to the findings in figure 1’s results indicated that 63% of the teachers believed that their communities did not support the education of girl children. In contrast, 37% of the teachers stated that their communities promoted girl child education. Generally, most of the teachers reported that their communities did not sup¬port the education of girl children.

Figure 1: Community Promotion of Girl Child Education

Effects of Domestic Labour on Girl Child Education

According to the findings in figure 2, revealed that 50% of the principals believed that the primary reason for girl child dropout was due to the need to work as domestic helpers. Additionally, 37% of the principals attributed girl child dropout to early marriage, while 13% cited engaging in business activities as the reason. Generally, most of the principals identified working as domestic helpers as the primary factor leading to girl child dropout.

                    Figure 2: Factors that Make Girl Child Drop Out

Discussion

The following section highlights the significant results on the variables impacting the dropout rate of female secondary school students in Hargeisa, Somaliland. The study found that domestic or household chores are squarely placed on the shoulders of girls through culturally defined roles. According to the findings of the study, 50% of the principals indicated that the reasons why females drop out of school are becoming house helps. Furthermore, 37% of the principals indicated that the reasons why females drop out of school are getting married. Moreover, 13% of the principals indicated that the factors that make girls drop out of school are doing businesses. Overall, the majority of the principals noted that the factors that make girls drop out of school are becoming house helps.

In Ethiopia, 82% and 26% of parents who participated in this study indicated that their female child's education exposes them to a labor shortage at home. As a result, 81% and 34% of female students in Amhara and Oromia regions, respectively, responded that the demand for household labor contributed to their dropping out. Furthermore, due to the amount of time spent on these activities, a lack of basic services such as access to clean water, energy, and flourmills contributes to the problem [9].

Negative attitudes towards female students exhibited by parents played a significant role in their dropout rates, as evidenced by the study's findings. Specifically, 79% of the parents acknowledged their involvement in shaping the education and dropout rates of their daughters, while 21% stated that they had no role to play. In general, most parents believed they had a part to play in their daughters' education and dropout rates. Various studies conducted in developing countries, particularly in Africa, have established that parents' preference for using their daughters as laborers is a significant obstacle to girls' education. According to the study, 52% of the dropouts considered their parents' demand for labor work as having a high influence on their decision to leave school, 26% rated it as average, and 13% rated it as low. One of the primary reasons why many female students failed to complete their secondary education was the demand from their parents to perform domestic chores [10].

According to the findings, results indicated that 63% of the teachers believed that their communities did not support the education of girl children. In contrast, 37% of the teachers stated that their communities promoted girl child education. Generally, most of the teachers reported that their communities did not support the education of girl children.

Female dropout participants in [9] study, conducted in Ethiopia's Amhara and Oromia regional states, reported that cultural traditions and practices do indeed have a strong influence on female dropout rates. As shared cultural impediments to female education in the two locations, marriage early in life, engagement, parental services, pregnancy, violence against women, religious views, and ignoring of female health and nutrition were highlighted.

Conclusion and Recommendations

The major goal of this study was to investigate the factors that contribute to the dropout rate of female students in Hargeisa high schools. The study revealed various variables influencing female secondary school dropout rates, including parental attitudes, society perception, and domestic work. The research also looked into the government's efforts to decrease female dropout rates in secondary schools by providing bursary monies.

Based on the research findings, we suggest many solutions to the problem of female student dropout rates. First, peer educators and counselors will be sent to mixed (girls and boys) and girls' secondary schools to examine girl-child problems and urge them to seek treatment in order to minimize dropout rates due to early marriage. Second, female students in secondary schools should not be overwhelmed with household chores and obligations in order for them to study and do well in class. It is also advised that gender equity and equality be promoted in the education system to encourage girl-child education and provide equitable responsibility sharing so that female pupils are not disadvantaged. Furthermore, the government should provide the essential teaching and learning tools, as well as hygienic latrines, in partnership with school administration and parents, in order to lower dropout rates.

Finally, the government should use the findings of this study to solve the obstacles that female scholars confront in Hargeisa and other areas around Somaliland.

References