Determinants of Girl Child Access to Primary School Education in Dadaab Sub-County, Kenya

Abstract

Educating a girl child is one of the best ways not only to enhance gender equality but also foster community and family development and economic growth. This study investigated selected factors that determine girl child access to primary school education in Dadaab Sub County. The objectives of the study were to determine the influence of economic factors on girl child access to primary schools in Dadaab Sub-County, Kenya. Descriptive survey design was adopted that encompassed both quantitative and qualitative approaches. The study targeted 30 primary schools, 30 head-teachers, 30 BoM chairpersons, and 120 teachers in Dadaab Sub- County, Kenya. Purposive sampling method was deployed to choose 9 head teachers 60 primary teachers and 9 Board of Management chairpersons. Semi-structured questionnaires and interview guide were used for data collection. Descriptive statistics involving mean were used to analyze data. Pearson correlation was used to test hypotheses involving quantitative data from close ended questionnaires. Thematic analysis was used for analyzing qualitative data from interviews. The study concludes that economic factors have a statistically low significant and positive effect on access of girls to primary education in Dadaab sub county (p<0.01; r = 0.468),  the effect of socio-cultural factors on access of girls to primary education in Dadaab sub county is positive and statistically significant (p-value =0.000; r=0.487), security factors have a statistical positively low significant effect on access of girls to primary education in Dadaab sub county (p<0.01; r = 0.541), and  school management practices have a statistically low significant and positive effect on access of girls to primary education in Dadaab sub county (p<0.01; r = 0.646). The recommendations are that the schoos’ management should be offered training on practices to foster girl-child access to education.