Causes of Primary School Dropouts Under the Universal Primary Education (Upe) System in Uganda A Case Study of Wakiso Sub-County

TABLE PF CONTENTS

Declaration ............................................................................................. i

Dedication ............................................................................................ .ii

Acknowledgements ................................................................................. iii

Abbreviations ......................................................................................... 1

Definition of terms ..................................................................................... 2

Abstract. ................................................................................................ 4

CHAPTER ONE:

1.0. Introduction .......................................................................... 5

1.1. Background ........................................................................... .5

1.2. Scope of the study .................................................................... 7

1.3. Problem Statement. .................................................................. 8

1.4.0 Conceptual Framework ............................................................. 10

1.5.0. General Objective .................................................................. 12

1.5 .1 Specific Objective ................................................................. 12

1.6. Hypotheses ............................................................................ 12

1. 7 Significance of study .............................................................. 12

CHAPTER TWO:

2.0. Literature Review .................................................................. 14

2.1. Introduction ......................................................................... 14

2.2. Causes of primary school dropout.. ........................................... .14

2.3. Measures to counter the UPE dropout phenomenon .......................... 24

CHAPTER THREE:

3 .0 Methodology ......................................................................... 25

3.1. Introduction .......................................................................... 25

3.2. Description of the area of study .................................................. 25

3.3 Research Design .................................................................... 25

3.4. Sample selection and sample size ............................................... 26

3.5. Data collection ..................................................................... 27

3.6. Data presentation .................................................................. 27

3.7. Method of data analysis .......................................................... 27

3.8. Limitations to the study .......................................................... 28

CHAPTER FOUR:

4.0. Results ............................................................................... 29

4.1. Analysis .............................................................................. 29

4.1.1 Background characteristics of respondents ..................................... 29

4.1.2. Suggested solutions to drop out ................................................. 33

4. l .2a Teachers ............................................................................ .33

4. l .2b Parents .............................................................................. .34

4. l .2c Government. ....................................................................... .35

4.1.3. Level at which dropout occurred ................................................ .36

4.1.4 Factors associated with dropping out of school.. ............................. .37

4.l.4a. Sex of the child ..................................................................... 38

4.1 .4b Rural/Urban divide ................................................................. 38

4. l.4c Survival status of parents ........................................................ .38

4.1 .4d Age of the child .................................................................... 38

CHAPTER FIVE:

5.0. Discussion offindings ............................................................... 39

CHAPTER SIX:

6.0. Conclusions and Recommendations ........................................... .43

6.1. Conclusions ....................................................................... .43

6.2. Recommendations ................................................................ .43

RE FE REN CES .................................................................................... .4 5

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APPENDICES

Appendix I; Respondents Questionnaire ........................................................ .47

Appendix 2; Checklist ............................................................................... 52

Appendix 3; Map ofWakiso District.. ........................................................... 53

Appendix 4; Map ofWakiso Sub-county-Parishes ............................................. 54

Appendix 5: National enrolment for the period 1996-2003 ..................................... 55

Appendix 6: Percentage distribution of sex and reason for leaving school.. ................. 55

ABSTRACT

This study investigated the causes of primary school dropout despite the implementation of the Universal Primary Education (U.P.E) system, using Wakiso sub-county as a case study. The objectives of the study were to establish the various causes of dropout; the level at which dropout is highest; whether there exists an association between sex of the child and dropout as well as between location (rural and urban) and dropout. Primary data was mainly used. SPSS package was used for data analysis. Descriptive statistics were used. The Chi-square test was used to test the hypotheses. Dropout was mainly due to high financial costs of education. It was more common in older than in younger pupils, (in upper primary than in lower primary), and more frequent in urban than rural areas. Some of the solutions to the UPE dropout phenomenon include: sensitization of parents and pupils on the importance of education; improving discipline of pupils; provision of lunch at school, checking on child labor; curbing sexual harassment particularly at school; stopping automatic promotion; improving teaching standards and making UPE completely free.