A STUDY OF THE FACTORS THAT INFLUNCE GIRLS DROPOUTS IN PRIMARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOLS OF MANGOCHI DISTRICT IN MALAWI

Abstract

A Study of the factors that influence girls’ dropouts in Primary and Secondary schools were studied in two public primary schools and two secondary schools situated in Mangochi District, Malawi. It was observed that there are a lot of girls’ dropouts, poor performance of girls in district level during primary school leaving certificate Examinations, administered by Malawi National Examinations Board (MANEB) in these schools, despite the awareness and interventions by Governmental and Non Governmental Organizations. The main purpose of the study is to find out the factors that lead to girls’ dropouts in Mangochi District. A sample of respondents were interviewed and responded that girls face problems such as, child marriage, early pregnancy, and long distance from home to school, responsibilities, peer pressure, sexual exploitation, poverty and lack of proper facilities like toilets. Using Qualitative and Quantitative Methods of inquiry, data was collected from twenty teachers and four head teachers: ten teachers and two head teachers from two primary schools, ten teachers and two head teachers from two secondary schools respectively. Twelve parents and twenty students from a few catchment areas of those four sampled schools too were interviewed orally to strengthen the data collection. Data collection tools namely Questionnaire and Focus group discussion were used for the study.