School Drop Out

STATEMENT OF PROBLEM

National:

Children in Ghana face a number of obstacles that prevent their full participation in society. Traditional

customs often result in girls being dropped out of school at an early age to help manage the household. This year, as part of efforts to further expand access, government has embarked on a programme to rehabilitate 3,000 Basic Schools throughout the country.

The Ghanaian education Ministry is doing all that it can to reduce considerably the over 20% children of school going age who are still out of school.

The town

Statistics gathered indicated that, boys' school participation rate were higher than that of girls in the primary and Junior High School. Some children take responsibility for the payment of their fees (Ardayfio-Schandorf,1994).

Access to education in a country is seen both as a fundamental human right and an essential element in the national development strategy to promote growth and productive adult life (Obeng-Denteh et al, 2011).

Even though the issue of poverty transcends the entire metropolis, it is more pronounced in the peri-urban and slum communities where facilities/opportunities are either inadequate or non-existent. A few of the locations are Apatrapa, Dompoase, and Ayeduase among others. Thus has led to high school dropouts in such areas (Ghana districts. Pdf).

1.3 GENERAL OBJECTIVE:

Examine why children drop out of school.

1.4 SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES

* Find out the social background of school dropouts:

Marriage- engaging in early marriages

Education- illiterate parents might not see the need to keep their wards in school.

* Find out the economic background of school dropouts.

Economic activities of their parents.

* Find out if the duration of education encourages increased school dropout rate.

* Find out if there are enough educational facilities for the children and if they are affordable.

* Find out if peer group influences school dropout.

* Find out if school curricular is interesting and practical enough to keep the children in school.

1.5 HYPOTHESES

1. H1: Early marriage has accounted for school dropout in ayeduase.

Ho: Early marriage has not accounted for school dropout.

2. H1: Illiteracy of parents has led to school dropout.

Ho: Illiteracy of parents has not led to school dropout rates.

3. H1: Involvement of children in economic activitieshas accounted for high dropout rates.

Ho: Involvement of children in economic activities has not accounted for school dropout rate.

4.H1: Poverty in families has accounted for school dropout.

Ho: Poverty in families has not accounted for school dropout.

5.H1: Long duration of education has accounted for school dropout.

Ho: Long duration of education has not accounted for school dropout rate.

6. H1: Insufficient educational facilities has encouraged high school dropout rate.

Ho: Insufficient educational facilities have not encouraged the high school dropout rate.

7. H1: Peer influence has resulted in high school dropout rate.

Ho: Peer influence has not resulted in highschool dropout rate.

8. H1: Teenage Pregnancy has accounted for school dropout.

Ho: Teenage Pregnancy has not accounted for school dropout.

1.6 CONCEPTUAL DEFINITION

A dropout is considered, a student who for any reason other than death leaves school before graduation or without transferring to another school.

A child is anyone between the ages 10-18, 10 and 18 inclusive

A school is an institution where knowledge is acquired through a formally structured process. For the purpose of this survey however, the scope will be limited to the basic school

Marriage is a union between two people, mostly a man and a woman who have gone through all the socially accepted procedure.

Early marriage is marriage between two individuals who fall within the range of 10-18, 10 and 18 inclusive.

Teenage pregnancy is any conception between the age of 10-18, 10 and 18 inclusive.

Peer pressureis an influence originating from colleagues that controls the behavior of a person.

Educational facilities are those necessary materials that enhance the learning of the students.

Illiteracy is the inability to read and write.

Povertyrefers to those dimensional conditions that do not enhance the standard of living of people

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