Patterns and causes of dropout in community secondary schools in Lindi rural district,
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Date
2013
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Publisher
University of Dar es Salaam
Abstract
Dropout in schools is one of the major forms of wastage in education. This descriptive study thus sought to investigate the pattern and causes of school dropout in community secondary schools where the problem has now evolved to be even more serious than in other categories of schools. The study was carried out in three ordinary level secondary schools of Mtama, Mahiwa and Mchinga in Lindi Rural District. The study involved forty six respondents, including dropout themselves, identified through purposive sampling. Three types of data collection methods were used. These included interviews, focus group discussion, and the documentary review. The analytical framework employed a content analysis technique. The findings have shown that there is higher rate of dropout in Forms one and two than in other classes. Girls outnumbered boys although the difference was not very alarming. The study also revealed that a substantial amount of dropouts belonged to households with poor socio-economic and educational backgrounds. It has also been revealed that most of the community secondary schools are faced with the problem of poor quality and shortage of the inputs such as teachers, books, physical] amenities, etc. These have affected the genera] performance in Fumes two and four examinations, hence demotivating the learners and parents and increased the probability for them to dropout. The study also found that socio-cultural values such as the practice of polygamy increased the number of divorce cases, hence making the children from those broken families more likely to drop out due to poor service and attention from their parents. Deviant behaviors of the students caused by peer pressures and the discouraging (bleak) future of the secondary school leavers contributed to increase the problem of school dropout by interfering with students desire to concentrate on studies. In conclusion, all parties involved in making the schools efficient are required to invest more by providing inputs in temps of material support in order to improve the learning environment in schools.
Description
Available in print form, East Wilbert Africana Collection, Dr. Wilbert Chagula Library, Class mark (THS EAF LC144.T34M5)
Keywords
School attendance, Dropouts, Community secondary schools, Lindi, Tanzania
Citation
Millanzi, J. E(2013)Patterns and causes of dropout in community secondary schools in Lindi rural district,Master dissertation, University of Dar es salaam, Dar es Salaam