Causes of Female Dropout in Junior High School in Kassena-Nankana West District of Upper East Region, Ghana

Abstract

The study was designed to examine factors that account for female dropout in Junior High Schools (JHS) in Kassena Nankana West District and to make recommendations. Sample for the study comprised 50 JHS female dropouts. The likert-scale type questionnaire was used to gather data for the study. Data collected was analysed by using frequencies of the responses and their respective percentage. Results of the study revealed major and minor causes of the high rate of female students dropout. The major causes include inadequate school facilities, poor academic performance of students, students’ own lack of interest in school and early pregnancy. The rest are peer influence, parents’ inability to provide their wards’ educational needs, over burden household chores and parents’ demand for school girls to help them at their work places. The minor factors are bullying, hard manual work, teachers’ poor attitude towards female students and sexual harassment. On the basis of the findings, recommendations were made.

Key words: Dropouts, school-related factors, out of school factors, major factors, minor factors