Why do pupils dropout when education is ‘free’? Explaining school dropout among the urban poor in Nairobi

Abuya, Benta A.; Oketch, Moses; Musyoka, Peter K.

doi:10.1080/03057925.2012.707458

Cited by 46 publications

(52 citation statements)

References 15 publications

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“…This finding reinforces what scholars think---that the interaction with the schools offers parents an opportunity to build a consensus as families, and schools with regard to the acceptable behavior that their children should exhibit in school and at home (McNeal, 1999). In so doing, enhancing social control, and inhibiting problem behavior among children (Hill & Taylor, 2004), thereby enabling teachers to effectively teach effectively (Abuya et al, 2013).…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 64%

“…However, in Kenya, free primary education (FPE) was introduced in 2003 (Oketch, Mutisya, Ngware, & Ezeh, 2010). Scholars have established that despite the introduction of the FPE program, levies continue to be charged in many schools (Abuya, Oketch, & Musyoka, 2013). Therefore, when the parents in Korogocho and Viwandani report that payment of school fees is a basic need, they may be referring to the extra levies that are still charged in schools.…”

Section: Providing Basic Needs For the Childrenmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Support to Children’s Education in the Urban Slums of Nairobi: Community and Parents’ Perceptions with an Expanded Phase of an Education Intervention Program

Abuya

Kitsao-Wekulo

Muhia

2018

QRE

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The objective of this paper is to examine the perceptions of community elders and parents on their roles regarding support to their children’s education. Data come from the qualitative component of a baseline survey conducted in Korogocho and Viwandani, two urban informal settlements in Nairobi, Kenya. Data were collected in April-May 2016 through in-depth interviews, key informant interviews and focus group discussions. Results demonstrated that community elders internalized their role as the face of government in their respective communities, and enforced the implementation of education policies on behalf of all children. The community leaders also saw as part of their role the need to encourage parents to be active participants in their children’s education. Female parents with boys in the program perceived that parental monitoring and follow-up was important to ensure that their children attended school, and completed work assigned by the teachers, more so in Korogocho. Overall, parents recognized the importance of the role they played in their children’s education. This is a good entry point as parental support will ensure the success and sustainability of the intervention to improve educational outcomes for children, which in turn will help their children navigate the challenging period that adolescence presents.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 64%

Section: Providing Basic Needs For the Childrenmentioning

confidence: 99%

Support to Children’s Education in the Urban Slums of Nairobi: Community and Parents’ Perceptions with an Expanded Phase of an Education Intervention Program

Abuya

Kitsao-Wekulo

Muhia

2018

QRE

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“…Good student‐to‐student relationships help students stay in school. Sometimes this relationship is not cultivated because of fear, insecurity, boredom and intimidation (No et al., ; Abuya et al., ; Sahin et al., ) (Cambodia, Kenya, Turkey). In some cases, students do not willingly pull out but do so because of their parents.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…They are also required to work at home sometimes (Mahlomaholo, ; Smits & Huisman, ; Abhisek & Soumendu, ; Abuya et al., ; Banik & Neogi, ; Wudu, ; Sahin et al., ) (South Africa, Algeria, Egypt, Morocco, Syria, Tunisia, Yemen, Kenya, India, Ethiopia, Turkey). It is also common for students to be sent to do wage work to support the family financially (Farid‐ul‐Hasnain & Krantz, ; Flisher et al., ; Abuya et al., ; Mokibelo, ) (Pakistan, South Africa, Kenya, Botswana). Because guardians need to bring up their own children, they sometimes send non‐biological children to do wage labour to reduce the financial burden (No et al., ) (Cambodia).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A systematic review of the literature on the causes of early school leaving in Africa and Asia

Momo

Cabus

Witte

et al. 2018

Review of Education

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This paper systematically reviews the literature on the causes of leaving school early in Africa and Asia. Despite the improvement in primary school enrolment in the developing countries by 2015, the persistence of school dropout, however, renders this improvement almost insignificant. This leads to the necessity of observing the prolonged determinants of dropping out from school amid the current global development efforts to improve educational attainment in these countries. For this purpose, we review 43 articles in this study. These articles are peer‐reviewed publications on the causes of early school leaving or school dropout in Africa and Asia, from the year 2001 to present (2018). A great number of causes are found to be linked to the reason for leaving school early. However, the most common causes for early school leaving include lack of income, parents’ education and employment status, living in a single‐parent household, being a illegitimate child, age, region of residence and school performance. Specifically, for Asia, immigration and ethnicity are important factors. This paper recommends that policies to prevent early school leaving require multi‐perspective targeting, involving individual, school, community and family. For instance, attention needs to be drawn to the effective trickling down of necessary school provisions and other contemporary societal provisions to all communities. There is also need for improved individual and family awareness on the positive impact of education as well as the dangers of certain cultural beliefs.

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“…If teachers are not able to adapt the policy to their local circumstances, they are unable to deliver quality education to the pupils. In short, access to school does not translate into quality education if the teachers' effective control of the classroom is compromised (Abuya, Oketch, & Musyoka, 2013).…”

Section: Placing the Primary School Teacher In Contextmentioning

confidence: 99%

Free Primary Education and Implementation in Kenya

et al. 2015

Self Cite

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Free primary education policy has substantially increased school enrollment rates in Sub-Saharan African countries. The success and sustainability depend on teachers' perception, motivation, and proper implementation of the policy in the classroom. Few studies focus on teachers' experiences and challenges in the process of implementing the policy. The current study presents theoretical reviews using the "bottom-up," "top-down," and incremental policy frameworks. The study used a desk review of the documents from the Ministry of Education and other published materials from an Education Research Program in Kenya. Findings suggest that there is no adequate empirical study to support the views and assertions concerning teachers' experiences and motivation toward the implementation of free universal primary education policy in Kenya. There is a need for empirical research and programs to understand teachers' experiences and challenges in translating education policy into practices.

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Why do pupils dropout when education is ‘free’? Explaining school dropout among the urban poor in Nairobi

Cited by 46 publications

References 15 publications

Support to Children’s Education in the Urban Slums of Nairobi: Community and Parents’ Perceptions with an Expanded Phase of an Education Intervention Program

Support to Children’s Education in the Urban Slums of Nairobi: Community and Parents’ Perceptions with an Expanded Phase of an Education Intervention Program

A systematic review of the literature on the causes of early school leaving in Africa and Asia

Free Primary Education and Implementation in Kenya

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