SOCIO-CULTURAL FACTORS AFFECTING GIRLS' ENROLLMENT IN PRIMARY SCHOOL IN SELECTED KEBELES: THE CASE OF DIBATIE WOREDA IN BENISHANGUL GUMUZ REGIONAL STATE.

Abstract

The objective of the study was to investigate the socio-cultural factors that are affecting girls' enrollment at primary schools in selected Kebeles in Dibatie Woreda of Benishangul Gumuz Region which is 445km away from Assosa capital. The specific objectives makes attempt to assess major Social and Cultural factors and also tries to evaluate the parents attitude on the girl children education. A systematic random sampling technique was followed to select the household heads and non enrolled girl children in the house hold. Based on this, the necessary data is collected from the total of 319 households where 292 are male headed households and 27are female headed and 319 primary school aged children are sampled in households who are out of schools. Structured interview schedule was used for collecting essential data and key informants were used to crosscheck the data collected through interview schedule and also to generate additional contextual data. The data were analyzed using descriptive methods and regression analysis. The regression analysis results revealed that the decision of enrolling the girl child at primary schools are determined by various factors like age of household head, educational level of parents/ household heads/spouses, lack of safety, number of children in the household/size of family, absence of female role models, parents' attitude towards girls' education, sex preference, exchange and early marriage had a significant on decision of girls' enrolment at primary schoolsl. Therefore, the government and other concerned bodies should address non-enrolment of school aged girl children's at primary schools in the study area which has constrained by socio-cultural factors. In general, improving the right and status of girl children to primary education through legal actions, improving parent level of attitude towards girl education through creating awareness among the parents and elders.