Education and Status of Women. Factors influencing the Academic Performance of Female Students

Akademische Arbeit , 2023 , 86 Seiten

Soziologie - Sonstiges

The main purpose of this study was to explore the factors that influence academic performance of female students in the preparatory schools of Sodo woreda. Besides, it tried to examine the specific objective factors that student characterize,
parental, school facilities on female academic performance. To achieve this objective different basic research questions were raised.

To attain this objective, descriptive survey research method was employed. 248 Students were elected. Students responses were selected based on proportionally stratified sampling considering their grade level. Stratified sampling followed by simple random sampling technique was employed to select the sample female students, purposive sampling technique was used to select the schools and availability sampling method was employed for teachers, school directors and educational office. To gather the necessary data, questionnaires, interview, and FGD and document analysis were used. The gathered information was analyzed using both quantitative and qualitative methods of data analysis.

Based on the results of the analysis student characteristic, parents and school related factors such as less invested educational activities, negative parental and community attitude toward female’s education, parents economic status, parents need for their females labor, school facilities, female teachers in schools were considered as reasons for low females' academic performance in preparatory schools.

Thus, it is recommended that schools, Woreda Education office incollaboration with woreda women's affairs office and woreda administrators ought to raise the issue of female education as a main concern of the woreda and thoroughly discuss with the parents and community. Moreover, continuous community awareness should be done at the kebele level about the whole advantage of females' education in the overall development effort. Moreover, the local government and educational authorities, NGOs and the community should work jointly to support female education by facilitating the schools with necessary inputs for female students.

Table of Contents

ABSTRACT

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

ACRONYMS

List of Figures

CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION
1.2. Statement of the Problem
1.3. Objectives of the Research
1.3.1. General Objectives
1.3.2. Specific Objectives
1.4. Research Questions
1.4.1. The Maine Research Quotation of the study
1.4.2. Specific Research Questions
1.5. Significance of the Study
1.6. Delimitation of the Study
1.7. Limitation of the Study
1.8. Definition of Key Terms
1.9. Organization of the Paper

CHAPTER TWO: REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURES
2.1. Theoretical Framework and Conceptual Frame Work
2.2. Female Education in the International Context
2.3. Females' Participation in Education in Ethiopia
2.4. The Status of Women Education
2.5. Significances of Female's Education
2.6. Factors Influencing that Contribute to Females Academic performance
2.6.1 Students Related Factors Influencing Female Academic performance
2.6.1.1. Students' Characteristics
2.6.2. Parents Related Factors Influencing Female Academic performance
2.6.2.1. Socio-economic Condition
2.6.2.2. Family Related Factors
2.6.2.3. Parental Education
2.6.2.4. Parental Economic Background
2.6.2.5. Working Load of Female in House
2.6.2.6. Family Size
2.6.2.7. Cultural factors that influences the Academic Performance of the female students
2.6.3. School Related Factors Influencing Female Students' Academic performance
2.6.3.1. School Facilities
2.6.3.2. Library
2.6.3.3. Laboratory
2.6.3.4. Characteristics of Teachers
2.6.3.5. The Availability of Role Model Female Teachers
2.7. Conceptual Framework

CHAPTER THREE: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
3.1. Description of the Study Area
3.1.1. Location of the Study Areas
3.1.2. Topography and Climate Condition of the Study Area
3.1.3. Vegetation and Soil Type of the Study Area
3.1.4. Demography of Study Area
3.1.5. Economic Activity of Study Area
3.2. Research Design
3.3. Sources of Data
3.3.1. Primary Sources of Data
3.3.1.1. Questionnaire
3.3.1.2. Key Informants Interview
3.3.1.3. Focus Group Discussion
3.3.2. Secondary Sources of Data
3.4. Target Population of the Study
3.5. Sampling Procedures
3.6. Sampling Techniques
3.7. Sampling size
3.8. Data Collection Instruments
3.9. Methods of Data Analysis
3.10. Ethical Consideration

CHAPTER FOUR: RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS
4.2. Demographic Characteristics of Respondents
4.2.1. Distribution of Respondents by Age
4.2.2. Distribution of Respondents by Religion
4. 2.3. Distribution of Respondents by Ethnicity
4.2.4. Distribution of Respondents by Family Size
4.2.5. Distribution of Respondents by Parents Education Level
4.2.6. Distribution of Respondents by Parent's occupation and Income
4.3. Factors Influencing Academic Performance of Female Students
4.3.1 Trends of female students in preparatory schools of Sodo woreda from 2005-2010
4.3.2. Trends of female student's repetition in preparatory schools of Sodo woreda from 2005-2009 E.C.
4.3.3. Trends of male student's repetition in preparatory schools of Sodo woreda from 2005-2009 E.C.
4.3.4. Students Related Factors influencing the academic performance of female students
4.3.4.1. Distribution in respondents' appropriate time use for reading
4.3.6. Other Factors that influencing their Academic Performance of female students
4.3.7. School related Factors Influencing the Academic Performance of female studen

CHAPTER FIVE: CONCLUTIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
5.1. Conclusions
5.2. Recommendations

REFERENCES

APPENDIX A

APPENDIX B

APPENDIX C

ABSTRACT

Education is a process of teaching, training and learning, especially in schools or colleges to improve knowledge and develop skills. The main purpose of this study was to explore the factors that influence academic performance of female students in the preparatory schools of Sodo woreda. Besides, it tried to examine the specific objective factors that student characterize, parental, school facilities on female academic performance. To achieve this objective different basic research questions were raised. To attain this objective, descriptive survey research method was employed. The subjects of the study were 248 (210 female students, 24 FGD, 8 school teachers and 4 school director and 2 educational office). Student respondents were selected based on proportionally stratified sampling considering their grade level. Stratified sampling followed by simple random sampling (lottery method) technique was employed to select the sample female students, purposive sampling technique was used to select the schools and availability sampling method was employed for teachers, school directors and educational office. To gather the necessary data, questionnaires, interview, and FGD and document analysis were used. The gathered information was analyzed using both quantitative and qualitative methods of data analysis. The primary data is collected from students through questionnaires and through interviews from teacher, directors and woreda education office. Secondary data was gathered from documents found in the schools and Sodo woreda education office. Then the quantitative data was analyzed and interpreted by using (SPSS version 16.0), percentages and frequencies and mean while qualitative data was analyzed using description. Based on the results ofthe analysis student characteristic, parents and school related factors such as less invested educational activities, negative parental and community attitude toward female's education, parents economic status, parents need for their females labor, school facilities, female teachers in schools were considered as reasons for low females' academic performance in preparatory schools Thus, it is recommended that schools, Woreda Education office in­collaboration with woreda women's affairs office and woreda administrators ought to raise the issue (major factors) of female education as a main concern of the woreda and thoroughly discuss with the parents and community. Moreover, continuous community awareness should be done at the kebele level about the whole advantage of females' education in the overall development effort. Moreover, the local government and educational authorities, NGOs and the community should work jointly to support female education by facilitating the schools with necessary inputs for female students.

Key word : academic performance, education, factors, influence, performance, preparatory school

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

First and foremost, I express my gratitude to my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, for his vast love, help and fidelity. I give Him the Honor and Glory for His all-time goodwill and support in general and for giving me the gift and strength to start the graduate studies and finalize this research in specific.

Next, this work would not have come to fruition without the help of a few key people, whom I would like to tank personally Dr. kinfe Abraha, co- advisor Mr. Atakilti Gebreyesus have been very supportive, and their advice were real professional. Without their support this thesis would not have been a success. Thank you very much Dr. kinfe Abraha for providing guidance, give material and encouragement throughout this research work. I am also greatly indebted to financial support provided and give a chance to MSc, Ethiopia ministry of education.

My deepest heartfelt appreciation and very special thank go to my beloved family for their encouragement, love, patience to withstand aloneness and hardship during my absence. I used this opportunity to appreciate and thank my father, mother, brothers, sisters, friends and the whole family for their material and moral support to pursue this study, without them I could not have reached this level. The completion of this study was made with the direct or indirect contribution of several people, numerous to mention here.

illustration not visible in this excerpt

ACRONYMS

illustration not visible in this excerpt

List of Tables

Table 4. 1. Percentage Distribution of Respondents by Marital Status

Table 4. 2. Distribution of Respondents by Ethnicity

Table 4. 3. Female students repetition in sodo woreda

Table 4. 4. Percentage distribution students related factors on academic performance

Table 4. 5. Percentage distribution of female student's factors by parents

Table 4. 6. Distribution responses related to parent's encouragements in the female students. ..

Table 4.7. Percentage distribution of female students by different factors influence on academic performance

Table 4.8 .percentage distribution of female students' factors influence by schools

List of Figures

Figure 2. 1. Conceptual framework

Figure 4. 1 Students by Grade

Figure 4. 2. Percentage distributions of respondents by age

Figure 4. 3. Percentage distribution of respondents by religion

Figure 4. 4. Percentage distribution of respondents by family size

Figure 4. 5. Percentage distribution of respondents by parent's educational level

Figure 4. 6. Percentage distribution of respondents by parent's occupation

Figure 4. 7 . Trends of female students in preparatory schools

Figure 4. 8. Percentage distribution of respondents using appropriate time for reading

Figure 4. 9. Percentage distribution of respondents by household activities

Figure 4. 10. Percentage distributions of respondents have less reading time

List of Maps

Map 3.1. Map of study area

CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION

Education is a process of teaching, training and learning, especially in schools or colleges to improve knowledge and develop skills. These are primary education, secondary education, further (higher) post-secondary education, adult education, a college/ university education, formal and informal education (Wehmier, 2004 cited in Oxford University, 2005). Access to basic education lies at the heart of development “Lack of education is both a part of the definition of poverty and a means for its diminution” (Lewin, 2007). In an increasingly technological and scientifically advanced world, education is the important to scientific progress and is crucial to involvement in the scientific search. In this education, new global and knowledge-based economy, science, information and communication technologies are the new tools for development with the enormous potential to transform the quality of life of people in the developing world (World Bank, 2008).

Education is perhaps the single most important measure that can be taken to ensure a fuller integration of women in development. The participation of females in socio-economic programs depends on their educational back ground. Educating girls and women are critical to achieve the aforementioned benefits as well as for the improvement in the areas of health, fertility, nutrition and more likely to seek health care for themselves and their children, to practice family planning, and to have increased opportunities for paid employment, that benefit the entire family (Kane 2004; & Conway and Bourque 1993; in Kassa, 2006). On the other hand, educating girls is one of the most important investments that any country can make in its own future, because, it helps to build economic productivity, higher family incomes, delayed marriages, reduced fertility rates, and improved health and survival rates for infants and children (USAID, 2008; & Summers in USAID, 2008).

Education is a fundamental factor in socio-cultural, socio-economic, and political development, as it teaches skills and knowledge in students, preparing them to take up roles in national development (World Bank, 2005). Engine-Demir (2009) stated that education is fundamental to all people regardless of their sex, race or economic status as it is the key to sustainable social, economic and political development. According to Arko (2013) education for both males and females is necessary for sustainable development. There is a compelling case, therefore, for investing in both sexes to promote economic growth and more efficient use of public resources.

Sustainable developments need to be participatory. That is male and female have to participate equals in the process. This equality has to be maintained at all levels of political assignment, economic sectors, educational levels and other social activities. But, in practice we observed that this equality is not maintained. These inequalities seem to be results of unequal participation of female in education. Education has been found to be the strongest variable affecting the status of women (knife, 1998).

World Bank (2012) concurs with this view, stating that, the problem of gender bias in education is common, especially in developing countries. This would ensure science education and training programs that pay special attention to those socio-cultural, economic and political factors that inhibit the full participation of certain sectors of the society, such as female who make up 50% of the world's population (UNESCO, 2009). Thus building human skills through investment in science education is a critical component of knowledge development. This development cannot occur while excluding half of the human race that is the female folk. Since the participation of females in socio-economic programs depends on their educational background, they do not participate fully in what gets done in society due to lack of education (Kassa, 2006).

The Ethiopian Government has taken quite a number of measures, improving the quality of teaching, to enhance female students ‘academic performance in particular and realizing the importance of quality education. However, as the government strives to expand education, it also faces the challenge of ensuring quality, especially for female students. The Ministry of Education in its Education Sector Development Program (ESDP IV 2010/112014/15) document indicates female participation in education is constrained by economic, socio-cultural, family, Environments, personal and school factors.

1.2. Statement of the Problem

Even though women play a significant role in the overall development of a nation, they remain under represented at all levels of educational programs, in formal or non-formal education, few receive technical and vocational training and they also account for a very small proportion of enrollment in education both in developed and developing countries (Kelly and Ellott in Kassa, 2006) . According to (UNICEF, 2005) the school-related factors such as lack of school facilities and the absence of qualified teachers, distance from the schools, teacher attitudes and teaching practice, all factors influencing academic performance of female students.

A number of studies conducted in Ethiopia regarding the participation, persistence and academic performance of female students both at primary and secondary schools are constrained by several factors. In Ethiopia like other Sub-Saharan countries, economic, social, cultural, school related and institutional factors affect female students of academic performance. Among these, some of the socio-economic and socio cultural factors like, family structure, parental occupation, and parental education, parenting styles, parental attitude, and parental support play a significant role for female academic performance. On the other hand, school related factors such as lack of school facilities and conducive classroom environment, the absence of qualified teachers, distance from the school, teacher attitudes and teaching practice, all affect female academic achievement (Bergman, 2008; Genet, 1998; Kinfe, 1998; Abduljeil, 2002; Yenenesh, 2005; Tesfaya, 2006; Engin demeir, 2009).

The Ministry of Education (MOE, 2004) also reported that the quality of teaching learning process in Ethiopian schools is very low. FDRE, due to some change in government policies, there have been improvements in female participation in education. However, access to education remains limited and repetition and dropout rate of female students remains high in the Sodo woreda. Consequently, in 2005-2009E.C the Sodo woreda preparatory secondary school leaving examination result also shows that 10.9% grade eleven students were not promoted to grade twelve. And also shows that 56.4% grade twelve students were not promoted to enjoy university or EGSECE. Therefore, to make efforts that improve female academic performance in the preparatory schools, this study tried to assess some factor influencing the academic performance of female students in the preparatory school of Sodo woreda.

1.3. Objectives of the Research

1.3.1. General Objectives

The general objective of this study was assess the factors influencing the academic performance of female students in the preparatory schools of Sodo woreda.

1.3.2. Specific Objectives

The specific objectives of the research are:

1. To assess the students related factors influencing the academic performance of female students in the preparatory schools of Sodo woreda ?
2. To assess the parent's related factors influencing the academic performance of female students in preparatory schools of Sodo woreda.
3. To assess the school related factors influencing the academic performance of female students in the preparatory schools of Sodo woreda.

1.4. Research Questions

1.4.1. The Maine Research Quotation of the study

The main research question of the research is stated as:

- What are the factor influencing the academic performance of female students in the preparatory schools of Sodo woreda ?

1.4.2. Specific Research Questions

The specific research questions are:-

What are the student's related factors influencing the academic performance of female students in the preparatory schools of Sodo woreda ?

What are the parents related factors influencing the academic performance of female students in the preparatory schools of Sodo woreda ?

What are the schools related factors influencing the academic performance of female students ‘in the preparatory schools of Sodo woreda ?

1.5. Significance of the Study

The main aim of this study was to assess the factors influencing the academic performance of female students in the preparatory schools of Sodo woreda.

Accordingly; the study may be significant in the following;

This study will help woreda Education office to identify ways to improve female academic performance or contribute the appropriate measurement and minimize the prevalence of the factors influencing female academic performance and formulating policies pertaining to resource allocation in the improvement of female education in Sodo woreda. Next the study serves as a source for schools' planners to give attention and take measures to improve females' academic performance in education in general, particular preparatory education and it enables school principals to improve the effectiveness of teaching learning process in the school by providing more than expected supports for female students. It helps to widen the knowledgeable base in students, community, and schools relate to the major factors influence on female students. The third it may attitude issues that may motivate and/or serve as an educating material for other researchers and policy makers who are in need to fill the gap in the area.

1.6. Delimitation of the Study

The study was confined only to female students in preparatory schools of Sodo woreda, SNNPS. As to its area coverage, particularly time and other resources, the study was restricted to Sodo woreda. The researcher knows familiar and in detail about the study areas regarded the major factors influencing the academic performance of female students in the preparatory schools of Sodo woreda, students, parents and schools related factors. The target population of this study was female students, preparatory teachers, directors and educational office. The scope of the study was delimited to Sodo woreda preparatory school of female students at the time 2005­2010.

1.7. Limitation of the Study

The limitation of this study, since the data collected from the respondent's especially female students attaining were difficult because they were teaching-learning time. Next the factors that assess female academic performance could be many. However, all factors cannot be addressed by this study. Hence, as mentioned earlier, this study focused on students, parents and schools related factors influence on female academic performance. And for instance, the challenge made to collect data from some students, interviewer lacks to give the necessary data on time. Another challenge was the lack of well-organized and documented data in preparatory schools, data on some issue were in a way inconvenient to access immediately from school record office. Despite all these challenges, the researcher tried to critically analyze the available data to answer the questions raised in the study.

1.8. Definition of Key Terms

Academic performance is the level at which a student performs in education, to achieve or score the entry point or pass mark of each grade according to the standard set by the Ministry of Education or Regional Bureau of Education. It is measured in average pass marks. The term is used more generally to describe participation in subject of the curriculum (Wondifraw, 2010).

Education: is the process of facilitating learning or the acquisition of knowledge, skills, values, beliefs, and habits.

Factors: one of the elements contributing to a particular result or situation.

Influence: capacity or powers of persons or things to be a compelling force on (produce effects on the actions, behavior, opinions).

Performance: The accomplishment of a given task measured against preset known standards of accuracy. In a contract, performance is estimated to be the fulfillment of an obligation, in a manner that releases the performer from all liabilities under the contract.

Preparatory School is also known as preparatory level, which consists of grades 11-12.

1.9. Organization of the Paper

This thesis consists of five chapters. Chapter one includes the background of the study, a statement of the problem, objective of the research (general and specific objectives of the research), research question (the main research questions of the study and specific research questions of the study), significances of the study, delimitation of the study, limitation of the study, definition of Key Terms and organization of the paper. The second chapter includes a review of related literatures (an attempt to forward various but relevant literature works of scholars). Chapter three includes a description of the study area and research design, research approach, target population and sample, sampling techniques, types and sources of data, data collection instruments (questionnaires, interview, focused group discussion and document analysis) and techniques, methods of data analysis and ethical consideration. Chapter four includes data analysis, interpretations and discussions of research finding and final chapter five presents the conclusions and recommendations of the study.

CHAPTER TWO: REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURES

2.1. Theoretical Framework and Conceptual Frame Work

The literature review part discusses factors influencing academic performance of female students. Factors that contribute to females' academic performance, student factor, parents factors, school factors, teacher factors and home factor, influencing female students' academic performance.

2.2. Female Education in the International Context

The global community announced that education is a fundamental human right, one that all individuals are entitled to enjoy whatever the circumstances in which they live, that also brings important benefits to human society as a whole. For all countries, whatever their stages of development view education as a cornerstone of economic development. An educated citizen is also a key to social and political stability within and between nations. This concern for education on the part of the global community has been reiterated at a series of international conferences, starting in 1990 with the World Conference on Education for All in Jomtien, Thailand. The participants produced the World Declaration of Education for All. The declaration recalled that education is a fundamental human right (UNESCO, 2012). It was also acknowledged the pivotal role that access to quality education plays, not only as an end in itself, but as an essential means of reaching other important objectives, such as reducing poverty and achieving sustainable human development (UNESCO, 2014).

A closely related theme running through all of these discussions has been that of gender equality in education. These all and others developments were resulted in improvement of the participation of females to secondary education globally. According to the Trends and Statistics on world women 2015, participation in secondary education has expanded steadily in all regions of the world. Globally, the secondary Gross Enrollment Rate (GER) improved by 26 percentage points for girls and 20 percentage points for boys over the period 1990-2012. Despite this remarkable improvement, only 72 percent of the world's girls and 74 percent of boys attended secondary school in 2012.

The global enrolment ratios in secondary education for both boys and girls were lower than the corresponding ratios in primary education. In addition, when compared to those at the primary level; secondary enrolment ratios show significant variation among regions. It was close to 100 percent for both boys and girls in developed regions and the Caucasus and Central Asia, and was close to 90 percent in Eastern Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean, and Northern Africa. Despite the steady expansion of post-primary education, secondary enrolment was low in many developing countries. In sub-Saharan Africa, the secondary enrolment ratio was 45 percent for boys and 38 percent for girls. Similarly, in Oceania, it was 52 percent for boys and 45 percent for girls. Secondary GERs were close to or lower than 75 per cent for both boys and girls in the other regions, namely South-Eastern, Southern and Western Asia (Ibid).

2.3. Females' Participation in Education in Ethiopia

The participation and performance of girls at primary, secondary and tertiary educational levels still is lower than that of boys. Ethiopian National Agency Report (Tadesse, 2009) asserted that at the beginning of the twenty-first century one of the main problems challenging Ethiopia in education is the gender gap in enrollment and performance between male and female particularly at secondary and tertiary levels. In Ethiopia, as it has been revealed by different researchers, there are factors affecting female students' participation in education sector. These major factors are responsible for low participation and performance of the female students were categorized as economic, family, socio-cultural, school, institutional related and other factors (Emebet, 2003).

The Constitution of Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia (FDRE, 1995, Article35&41) states the following: the historical legacy of inequality and discrimination suffered by female in Ethiopia has taken into account, women, in order to remedy this legacy, are entitled to affirmative action. The purpose of such measure shall be to provide special attention to female so as to enable them compete and participate on the basis of equality with men in political, social and economic life as well as in public and private institutions. They should have constituted a significant proportion of the workforce and contributed to economic, social and political development of the country. From the school age population of female students in the country, there was a very low proportion at preparatory level. Not only women are low in number, but also poorly performing at the level with particular reference to grade 12 (Twelve) national examination.

2.4. The Status of Women Education

Education is both a human right and an indispensable means of realizing other human rights. It has a vital role in empowering women and girls and can lift economically and socially marginalized adults and children out of poverty and provide them with the means to participate fully in their communities (IASC, 2006). Education has a profound effect on girls ‘and women‘s ability to claim other rights and achieve status in society, such as economic independence and political representation (DFID, 2005). For too long, those affected by humanitarian emergencies especially girls and young women have been deprived of education (IASC, 2006).

Ethiopia is among the 25 nations in which over 1 million girls are out of school (Kane, 2004). In sub Saharan Africa, next to Nigeria and Burkina Faso the highest numbers of out of school female are found in Ethiopia (UNESCO, 2009). However, Ethiopia in particular has made considerable progress over the last two years (DFID, 2009). While the country still has a long way to go, it has made dramatic advances in improving access and tackling inequalities (UNESCO, 2009). Regarding to Ministry of Education 2006 disaggregated data, at national level, the repetition rate of preparatory female students was 5.7%. In the case of Sodo woreda, in the year 2009 on the average 10.9% and 56.4% of female repeated at grade eleven and twelve respectively (woreda education office 2017/18).

2.5. Significances of Female's Education

Educating female produces many additional socio-economic and political gained that benefit entire society. These benefits include increased economic productivity, higher family incomes, delayed marriages, reduced fertility rates and improved health and survival rates for infants and children (Report developed for the USAID?s Office of Women in Development by the Equate Project, 2008). According USAID (2008) the participation of females in socioeconomic program depends on their educational background. Educating females are critical to achieve the benefits as well as the improvement in the areas of health, fertility and nutrition. Thus, females must be treated equally with males to attain educational access, which is necessary to increase their participation in different development programs. Therefore, promoting the importance of education as a human right and increasing demand for schooling, particularly for females, is linked to improving awareness of educations economic and social-cultural value to individuals, families, communities and societies.

Women who are educated promote economic growth, reduce child mortality and malnutrition, bring improved health to themselves and those they care for, delay the age of first marriage, lower fertility and will typically have fewer children and have more opportunities to increase household income. Their children's intern will experience lowest mortality rates, better nutrition and better overall health (Kane, 2004). According to the Save children, (2005) Educate female Today and Create Lasting Change for the Next Generation

- When Women Are Educated: They delay marriage, they have skills for negotiating family spacing and contraceptive use with partners. there is lower maternal incidence of HIV/AIDS and lower transmission of virus to infant, female get proper prenatal care, There are fewer low-birth weight babies and healthier newborns, There are higher survival rates for children, families are smaller (as need for replacement children! to offset expected child deaths falls) , female have child care knowledge and self-confidence needed to bring children to clinics, female have more access to information and resources needed for proper child nutrition This leads to healthier, better nourished children(Save the Children,2005).
- When Women Are Educated: Mothers have the knowledge and skills needed to earn a livelihood, female gain economic status, more income leads to more tax revenue for investment in schools, women control proportionately more Household income, Fewer children and more income increase money available to invest in each child, female allocate funds needed to educate children (e.g., Uniforms, books, supplies), female allocate funds needed to keep children healthy (e.g. Vaccinations, clinic visits, medications) This leads to more money invested in Education(Ibid).

2.6. Factors Influencing that Contribute to Females Academic performance

Engine-Demir (2009), claims learning are not only an outcome of formal schooling, but also families, communities and Social, economic, political and cultural forces influencing learning and thus academic performance. In addition to low participation in education, even those female students who have managed to stay in schools face different problems. The problems manifest in hindering their academic performance. Parent's living standard, level of education of parents, lack of gender targeting in school environment and teacher quality influence female students ‘academic performance. School payments, cost for books and stationary, indirect cost of transportation, uniform, lodging and board and house rent matters school female. The economic opportunity, loss also influencing families, productive or business activities use labor, mostly the female child. Families may assume that the costs of schooling of their daughters do not exceed the expected economic return unless parents do not want to send their daughters to school because education as an investment becomes unattractive to parents. Only to the extent that parents are willing to accept low economic return, daughters will be educated (King and Hill, 1993; Adetunde and Akesina, 2008; Glick, 2008).

For these reasons female students are not performing well in school. Poverty also influences female schooling. Parents' ability to support their daughters is mostly depending on their income level. Parents' willing to support their daughters cost by providing stationary, house rent, uniform and other related expenses. Parents' income is the most influential in respect of supporting their daughters in schooling. To some extents also a factors influencing academic performance on schools. As indicated in many studies, women's education is a prerequisite for greater economic independence, equality, social autonomy for women; and for improving the socio-economic status of their families and community at large (Adetunde and Akesina, 2008). However, almost all developing countries, female education and their performance are not adequately addressed.

2.6.1 Students Related Factors Influencing Female Academic performance

2.6.1.1. Students' Characteristics

Students' characteristics refer to student well-being, perception of the school environment, motivation, involvement in scholastic and co-curricular activities and efforts of students, perceptions of students' on parental support and involvement, and locus of control in all areas have significant effects on students' academic performance (Engin-Demir, 2009). There are four areas of well-being dimensional phenomenon of students conceptualized as school condition, social relationships, and means for self-fulfillment and health status, which affects both their behavior and their examination results in school. In schools, students' well-being depends upon other factors, including their opinions on the rules and regulations of the school and relations with their teachers and schoolmates (Ibid). Regardless of intelligence, students spent more time on doing assignments; project works, home works and class works are very important activities to improve their grades. Students' amount of time invested on homework and other related activities has also found to be strongly related to a student's motivation to achieve and their positive feelings with achievement have a positive effect on actual academic performance.

2.6.2. Parents Related Factors Influencing Female Academic performance

2.6.2.1. Socio-economic Condition

Parents are living standard, level of education of parents (literacy), lack of gender targeting in the school environment and teacher quality influencing female students' academic performance. On the lower socio-economic status of parents have fewer economic resources from which to not purchase books and other items to improve academic outcomes for their children (Teshome, 2003). Robinson (1993) and Engin-Demir (2009) argued that sizable research has consistently shown that students' academic performance has influenced by background of family characteristics such as socioeconomic status of parent's, level of education, occupation and income. From these factors, parental level of education and income has been the most significant source of disparities in female students' performance.

2.6.2.2. Family Related Factors

Family background is the key determinant factor influencing students learning both inside and outsides of the school. The environment at home is a primary socialization agent and influences a child‘s interest in school and aspiration of the future. Family plays an important role in determining the academic performance of the female and attitudes of children towards a certain subject. Various researches had shown that family factors that include family size, family income, parent's education, cultural aspiration and traditional beliefs contribute to female low academic performance (Adamu, 2004).

2.6.2.3. Parental Education

Parental education is a decisive factor in the educational attainment of their female students. Since the quantity and quality at time devoted by parents to theirs daughter are positively related to the parent's educational status (Sackey, 2007). Parents educational level could play an important role in determining a child‘s intellectual performance.

2.6.2.4. Parental Economic Background

Financial and human capital of parents are influencing on academic performance of their children. The cost of schooling for instance, direct costs (fees) and indirect costs like uniform, transport, materials, and opportunity cost are significant for many poorer families influencing a family‘s decision making (Ndaruhutse, 2008). Parents who are educated (human capital) are assumed to hold a stable job (financial capital) and are more inclined to be communicative with their female in terms of their formal education-social capital (Sackey, 2007).

In terms of household economic resources, the magnitude of parental income is influential in educational choices. On the other hand, the amount of family income or household resources allocated to children and the timing of their distribution ultimately influence the schooling attainments of children and this is also positively associated with the educational attainment of children (Sackey, 2007). Specifically Parents occupational status was significantly related to female intelligence, school achievement, intrinsic motivation, and social maturity.

Higher occupational status is associated with higher performance aspiration, and motivation with parents. And higher motivation is also significantly related to higher involvement in child's school work (Yunos and Talib, 2009). Studies have indicated that children from poor and low parental economic background, on average performed significantly less well than middle-class children. Among the three traditional indicators of socioeconomic status, family income had the highest correlation with child's academic performance, followed by parental occupational status and educational achievement (Yunos and Talib, 2009).

2.6.2.5. Working Load of Female in House

Many children are engaged in either household, paid work or both. This is especially the case for children, particularly female, in rural areas who are usually expected to help with daily chores such as carrying water and firewood, cooking, looking after younger siblings while their parents are working, or tending animals. It also occurs in urban areas, where children may be involved in begging, shop and factory work, hawking or prostitution. This work may be regular or seasonal and clearly influencing school attendance, often leading to repetition or dropout, especially for female (Ndaruhutse, 2008). The poor performance of girls has relations with the greater demand on their time to perform household chores including fetching water and wood, cooking and the care of younger siblings. A study in Zambia, show that the average girl spends time for household chores are four times more than that of boys at directly productive work. And, what is even more striking is the time girls spend on this activity boys spend in school. Moreover, poorer girls work more than wealthier girls (Ndaruhutse, 2008). A study in rural Java in the early 1990s showed that poor girls work, on average, 94 hours a month, while the girls from the wealthiest households work 26 hours a month (Kane, 2004). This indicated that children from economically well-to-do families, mainly those living in towns, are not engaged in heavy work. This is because rich families can employ house maids in order to support their daughters in attending school instead of involving them in household chores.

Girls in Africa and, in fact, in almost every region of the world work more than boys, regardless of whether they are in school and of whether adult women are present and working in the household. This has implications, not only for costs, but also for dropout and repetition rates, performance and achievement (Kane, 2004). Most of the females perform various chores before going to school for periods ranging from 30 minutes to 2 hours. This means that for some of the female their school day starts very early in the morning. Activities performed by the female before going to school included hauling water, cleaning, preparing food and in some cases collecting firewood. Activities like hauling of water and firewood can mean travelling over fairly long distances with considerable loss of energy which might affect participation in class (Chimombo, 2000)

2.6.2.6. Family Size

Educational attainment is deeply influenced by family background in modern society to a varying degree academic performance has played an important role in this attainment process. Students with an advantaged social background of the family education show better academic performance than those from poor academic performance (Ojima and Below, 2009). The higher family size parents cannot fulfill the requirement of female education materials or the cost of schooling for instance, direct costs (fees) and indirect costs like uniform, transport, mate rials, and opportunity cost.

2.6.2.7. Cultural factors that influences the Academic Performance of the female students

Cultural expectations and values also play an important role in influencing the pattern of women's participation in secondary schools (Fatuma and Daniel, 2006). The same study established that most of the adults, local officials, elderly people and religious leaders indicated that parents prefer not to invest so much on the girl- child education compared to that of boy­child. (Sengupta and Guha, 2002) note that in many regions, girls are married off at a young age. Their education is viewed as a poor investment, because it yields no long -term benefits to their natal families.

2.6.3. School Related Factors Influencing Female Students' Academic performance

2.6.3.1. School Facilities

The physical environment in which the formal teaching, learning occurs ranges relatively from modern and well equipped to open air gathering place (UNICEF, 2005). Thus the school infrastructure includes the classrooms, offices, toilet rooms, water supply, electricity services, technology services, computer laboratory, science laboratory, library, staff, lounges, attractive green area, swimming pool etc. According to MOE (2001) school facilities includes water supply, latrines (male and female toilet) clinical laboratory, library, pedagogical center, laboratory. The facilities are required to be proportioned to the number of teachers and students in the school for the provision of quality education in schools.

2.6.3.2. Library

A school library is one of instructional resources that may significantly influence academic performance of the student. It serves a schools need in that it is the working tool of education. It center intellectual life. A lively and effective teaching program in a school depends on well- organized library. According to Ross, (2002) on academic library is the heart of the school anatomy and the library in preparatory school is essential curriculum enrichment

Secondary school libraries will need an adequate, up to date and comprehensive stock, enough space to accommodate students at any given time, trained personnel are necessary to promote effective service of the library and encourage students to develop a lifelong reading habit.

2.6.3.3. Laboratory

The laboratory is another facility that is useful, particularly science teaching to acquire specific knowledge systematically in depth the most important means of teaching library work that it gives an increased emphasis in enhancing student's involvements scientific investigation.

MOE (1995) has recommended their laboratories each comprises a separate demonstration store and preparation more over furniture for laboratories i.e. Table, teacher demonstration table, students works bench laboratory cap board were recommended.

2.6.3.4. Characteristics of Teachers

Effective teaching is determined by teachers' knowledge of the subject matter and mastery of pedagogical skill which create positive effects on the student's academic performance.

To show the importance of qualified teachers, Ayalew (2009) has indicated that teachers play a decisive role in the fulfillment of educational goals. Whatever, curriculum change is introduced and whatever reform is made all will be of little or no avail without qualified and commitment of teachers. Ayalew (2009) suggests that indeed teachers are the most important element in the realization of educational goals. Because of this, every educational system should strive to attract qualified people to the profession and to provide them with the best possible working conditions and material incentives that will satisfy their needs

2.6.3.5. The Availability of Role Model Female Teachers

Teachers are the most important role models for both boy and girl students in the school as well as out of the school. Especially the promotion of role model such as female teachers have been a strategy to encourage female education, particularly young girls in rural areas and widely accepted as a means of promoting greater gender equality (UNESCO, 2003). Studies have shown a positive impact from women teachers on female (and boys‘) achievement. A female role model can support and encourage girls to successfully complete their studies and may be even continue studying to become teachers, themselves. She can also be there to listen to any problems and provide guidance when necessary. According to Bowman and Anderson (in Kassa, 2006) in all aspects of girls' schooling the availability of female teacher is salient as both an instrument and a product. The presence of female teachers in the teaching staff can attract girls to learn by providing a guarantee to parents to enroll their daughters. Africa has the lowest proportion of female teachers in the world (Kane 2004) and teaching is still a male-dominated profession in many low-income countries and in some societies, rural families are unwilling to hand over their daughters to a male teacher, due to a shortage of female teachers as well as female civil servants in the local area, and lack of infrastructure can frustrate both parents and female students to enroll. This can affect the participation of female students in education in general (Kassa, 2006).

2.7. Conceptual Framework

The conceptual framework shows that about factors contributing to the academic performance of female students in preparatory schools. There were many factors influencing the academic performance of female students.

illustration not visible in this excerpt

Figure 2. 1. Conceptual framework

Source: Designed by the researcher (2017/18)

In figure 2.2, indicates the factors influencing academic performance of female students and if a chance to participate academic: there were many factors influencing female academic performance. This included the student characteristic which the female students have towards achievement (self-motivation, lack of self-confidence, give less time on education activities and absence of regular class); the level of parent extents factors they have or the attitude of parents towards female education (the economical and the educational background of their family, occupation and altitude), and schools related factors, they have faced. Besides, the number of family size in the household affects negatively female participation in their education.

[...]

• Hochschule: Mek'ele University (Population Studies)
• Veranstaltung: Development Studies
• Autor: Mule Dejene Guta (Autor:in)
• Erscheinungsjahr: 2023
• Seiten: 86
• Katalognummer: V1348177
• ISBN (PDF): 9783346866035
• ISBN (Buch): 9783346866042
• Sprache: Englisch
• Schlagworte: Education