FACTORS AFFECTING FEMALE STUDENTS’ ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT IN PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOL: THE CASE OF ABADO SECONDARY SCHOOL, LEMI-KURA SUB-CITY, ADDIS ABABA

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to explore the factors that affect the academic achievement of female students in Abbado secondary school. The research design that was employed in the study was descriptive research design and incorporated qualitative and quantitative approach. The study was focused on the female students’ academic achievement with reference to grade 9th, 10th, 11th and 12th grade in 2021/22 G. C. The target population consists of 327 female students as well as 55 teachers within Abado secondary schools. On the other hand interview was conducted to with 12 female students, and Focus group discussion conducted with 5 male and female teachers, 3 school administrators and 3 educational officials those participants of the study were selected purposely interviewed. The data gathered through different tools were analyzed using different methods based on the specific nature of the data. Quantitative data were also used descriptive statistics frequency, and percentage. On the other hand, the qualitative were used using narrative description; sometimes using the actual words of respondents at times paraphrasing their respondents; document analysis and observation were directly activated with the concern. The data analysis led to the major findings. The finding of the study revealed that common problems that female students encounter are: coming from economically very poor family, lack of sufficient time for studying absence of special support from schools to do well in their studies. All the same it was found that there were factors which affect academic achievements of female students; female students related factors institutional related factors; instructors related factors parents related factors were affected female student’s achievements. Based on the findings, it was safely concluded that factors which affect the academic achievement of female students is a function of variables which emanate from in-school and out-of-school systems. Accordingly, the improvement of these variables will make a considerable change in academic achievement of female students. Therefore, the study recommends that the involvement of various stakeholders in order to improve female students’ academic achievement in Abado secondary schools in Lemi-Kura sub-city.