FACTORS AFFECTING ACADEMIC PARTICIPATION OF FEMALE STUDENTS IN HARAR SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL, EASTERN ETHIOPIA

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to identify factors affecting academic participation of female student in Harar Senior Secondary school. Following school records and some informal sources the researcher hypothesized that academic participation of student in the area is highly related with gender issues and female students academic participation is not proportional compared to their male counterparts. This study conducted in Harar senior secondary school. It took 200 female students as samples which were drawn only from grades nine and ten. The samples were selected using purposive non-probability sampling technique based on their proportion and the researcher used random sampling method to draw the actual sample size. As a research tool questioner, key informant interviews and other interviews, FGDs (focus group discussions), observation, SWOT analysis and document analysis are used. Both qualitative and quantitative surveys used. The researcher introduced the overall concept of the research; the researchable problem introduced according to the objective of the study. To support the research area, the researcher tried to review various literature and discussed on the right of girls to education, girls access to education, gender disparity in education, girls drop out in education, impact of gender gaps in education, importance of girl’s education and the like. The researcher found that there were factors which affected academic participation of female students, such as psychological factors (including motivation and level of aspiration of students, self-reliance of the students, lack of guidance and counseling service, and income of their families); personal factors, such as educational background of a student’s family, study hours, use of stimulants; socio-cultural factors, like social safety, attitude of society towards female education and sexual harassments against female students. While analyzing the academic participation and performance, the ratio of total male students to total female students in the years 2007 to 2011 was approximately found to be 4:3 implying the rate of enrolment of male students is dominating that of female where as the rate of dropouts of female students was found to be slightly higher than that of male students. Therefore, it is conclude that there exists gender disparity in academic participation at Harar Senior Secondary School.