Investigating the Rural Girls’ Successful Completion of Lower Secondary School Education in Dendi Woreda of Oromia Region

Abstract

This thesis investigates the rural female successful completion of lower secondary school education in Dendi Woreda of Oromia Region as well as challenges and prospects that these students are facing. Methodologically, both primary sources such as interviews, observations and secondary sources like books, articles in journals, magazines, and newspapers were employed to collect data.Primary data were collected from 68 students and 32 teachers selected from two schools. With regard to the analysis of the research, it adopts both analytical and descriptive approaches. The study reveals that there are a number of challenges that female students face in secondary school education. The study endeavored to identify school teacher’s contribution, male students influence, family member’s support and socio- economic impacts to rural female students in lower secondary school in Dendi Woreda. The supply and demand side of female education is also discussed. There are the demand- side factors such as household and community factors, high opportunity cost of schooling, low private economic return and low demand for female education. On the supply- side, factors include school level factors, political and institutional factor. The researcher finally suggested the following feasible recommendations which could be implemented by the Education Bureau in Oromia Region and different stakeholders on female education. The Bureau shall organize awareness creation campaigns among the community so that the importance of girls education can be shared among the community. The school community including teachers, students and education leaders shall be given basic trainings about gender inclusive education. Female teachers can better understand interest of girls at school and will be considered as role model for girls. Hence, attention must be given to female teachers.