FACTORS AFFECTING THE FEMALE STUDENTS ACADEMIC

PERFORMANCE IN PREPARATORY SCHOOL: THE CASE OF

KACHA BIRRA WOREDA, KAMBATA-TEMBARO ZONE,
SOUTHERN NATIONS, NATIONALITIES AND PEOPLES
REGIONAL STATE, ETHIOPIA

M.Sc. Thesis

MULUGETA DEFAR HIRAGO

September 2014

Wolaita Sodo University

FACTORS AFFECTING THE FEMALE STUDENTS ACADEMIC
PERFORMANCE IN PREPARATORY SCHOOL: THE CASE OF
KACHA BIRRA WOREDA, KAMBATA-TEMBARO ZONE,
SOUTHERN NATIONS, NATIONALITIES AND PEOPLES
REGIONAL STATE, ETHIOPIA

A Thesis submitted to School of Graduate Studies

Department of Rural Development and Agricultural Extension
WOLAITA SODO UNIVERSITY

In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of

MASTERS OF SCIENCE IN RURAL DEVELOPMENT AND
PLANNING

By

MULIGETA DEFAR

September 2014

Wolaita Sodo University

 APPROVAL SHEET
SCHOOL OF GRADUATE STUDIES
WOLAITA SODO UNIVERSITY
As Thesis research advisors, we hereby certify that we have read and evaluated this thesis
prepared, under our guidance, by Mulugeta Defar, entitled: Factors Affecting the Female
Students Academic Performance in Preparatory School: the case of Kacha Birra
Woreda, Kambata-Tembaro Zone, Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples
Regional State, Ethiopia. We recommend that it be submitted as fulfilling the Thesis
requirement.

M.Senapathy (PhD) _____________________ ________________

Major Advisor Signature Date
___________________ _____________________ __________________
Co- Advisor Signature Date

As member of the Board of examiners of the MS.C Thesis open defense Examination, we
certify that we have read, evaluated the Thesis prepared by Mulugeta Defar and examined
the candidate. We recommended that the thesis accepted as fulfilling the thesis requirement
for the Degree of Masters of Science in Rural Development and Planning.

---------------------------- ____________________ ___________

Chairperson Signature Date

---------------------------- _____________________ __________

Internal Examiner Signature Date

------------------------------ _____________________ __________

External Examiner Signature Date

iii
 DEDICATION
This thesis manuscript is dedicated to My Beloved Mother W/ro Lambo Jalicho for all
taking all the challenge and responsibilities by assisting me during my school life and, and
my Sisters, Brothers and lovely Friend who were part of this success.

STATEMENT OF AUTHOR
I hereby declare that this thesis is my original work and that all sources of materials used
for this thesis have been duly acknowledged. A Thesis submitted to the School of Graduate
Studies, Woliata Sodo University in partial fulfillment for the requirement of the degree of
iv
Master of Science in Rural Development and planning. I honestly declare that this thesis
has not been presented in any other University for a degree, diploma or certificate.
Name: Mulugeta Defar
Place: Woliate Sodo University
Signature ……………………..
Date …………………………

BIOGRAPHY

The author was born in August 1983 G.C in Anacha Woreda, Kemebata-Temebaro Zone.
He attended his education (1st -12th grade) at Angacha Primary and Secondary School in

v
Angacha Woreda, Kemebata-Temebaro Zone. Then, he joined Addis Ababa University of
Social Science Faculty in 2002/2003 and Graduated with Sociology and Social
Anthropology in 2006. Soon after graduation, he joined World Vision Ethiopia, Non-
Governmental Organization and he had worked for six years in holding different position
till 2012. He joined School of Graduate Studies in the Department of Rural Development
and Agricultural Extension, Wolaita Sodo University and studied Master of Science degree
in Rural Development and Planning during the academic year 2012.

Name: MULUGETA DEFAR

Place: Wolaita Sodo University, Sodo

Data of Submission: September 2014

Signature:………………………..

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Above all, I thank Almighty GOD, who helped me in all aspects throughout the journey
towards this success. Then, my specials thank goes to Dr. Senapathy M who is my major
Advisor for this valuable advice, unreserved effort and guidance. He whole heartedly
supported me by sharing his academic knowledge and research experience in commenting,
reviewing, shaping and guiding from the research proposal up to the end of this thesis with
vi
whole attention and cooperation. Without his full support, this research work would have
not been completed.

Of course, many individuals also deserve thanks. I am very grateful to Girma Tsagaye,
Chemistry teacher in Shinshicho Preparatory School who assisted me in data collection and
organizing. I am also appreciating Shinshicho Preparatory School administrators and
teachers for provision of intelligent response during data collection and facilitating
arrangement required for this study. Really, without their cooperation, the completion of
this research work would be difficult.

I also appreciate, sample female students of Shinshicho Preparatory school and their
parents, who participated in interview schedule and focus group discussion and key
informants who were cooperative for long time taking interview and discussion and
responded positively.

My appreciation also goes to World Vision Kacha Birra Area Development Program
Manager, Ato Tamrta Arficho and all ADP staffs whom shared their ideas, helped and
encouraged me in the course of the study.

Last but not least, my particularly thank to my Mother, my friend, my Sisters, my Brothers,
Darara M.K.C Leaders, Ministers, Sisters and Brothers

LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS

CSO Charity Societal Organization

ENAR Ethiopian National Agency Report

ESDP Education Sector Development Program

vii
FDRE Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia

GER Gross Enrollment Ratio

IFAE Integrated Functional Adult Education

IOM International Organization for Migration

KA Kebele Administration

KM Kilo Meter

KT Kembata Tembaro

MoE Ministry of Education

PAP Program Action Plan

SNNPR South Nations Nationalities and Peoples’ Region

UNESCO United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization

UPE Universal Primary Education

WB World Bank

viii
 TABLE OF CONTENTS
DEDICATION...................................................................................................iv
STATEMENT OF AUTHOR.............................................................................v
BIOGRAPHY....................................................................................................vi
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS..............................................................................vi
LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS.........................................................................viii
LIST OF FIGURES........................................................................................xiii
ABSTRACT.....................................................................................................xiv
1. INTRODUCTION..........................................................................................1
1.1 Background..........................................................................................................................1

1.2. Statement of the Problem....................................................................................................5

1.3. The objectives of the study.................................................................................................7

1.3.1 The General Objective.......................................................................................................7

1.3.2 The Specific Objectives.....................................................................................................8
1.4. Scope and Limitation of the Study.....................................................................................8

1.5. Significance of the Study....................................................................................................8

2. LITERATURE REVIEW..............................................................................9
2.1. Benefits of female education............................................................................................10

2.2. Women in Development...................................................................................................10

2.3 Female Student Performance in Education........................................................................11

2.4 Major Factors Affecting the Female Academic Performance...........................................12

2.4.1 School factors.................................................................................................................12

2.4.3. Economic Factors............................................................................................................16

2.4.4 Psychological Factors.......................................................................................................17
2.5. Conceptual Framework.....................................................................................................19

ix
 TABLE OF CONTENTS (CONTINURD)
3. METHODOLOGY.......................................................................................20
3.1. Description of the Study Area..........................................................................................20

3.2 Research Design................................................................................................................21

3.3 Data Sources and Data Type..............................................................................................22

3.4. Sampling Design and Sampling Procedure......................................................................23

3.6. Data Processing and Analysis...........................................................................................26

4. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION...................................................................27

4.1 Introduction........................................................................................................................27

4.2 Participation of Female Students in School Education......................................................28

4.2.1 Current status of school enrolments in the study area......................................................28

4.3 Academic Performance in National Examination at Grade 12..........................................30

4.4 Academic Performance of the both Female and Male students in Grade 11 and 12
31

4.5. Personal Characteristics of female respondents ..............................................................33

4.6 Parental background of female academic achievement.....................................................35

4.7. Family Factors..................................................................................................................37

4.7.1 Educational Level of the Household Head.......................................................................37

4.7.2 Family Size.......................................................................................................................38
4.7.3 Household Chores............................................................................................................39
4.8 Economic Factors..............................................................................................................41

4.8.1 Household Income............................................................................................................42

4.8.2 Landholding Status...........................................................................................................44
4.8.3 School Costs.....................................................................................................................45
4.8.4 Parental Needs of Labour.................................................................................................48
4.9 Psychological Factors........................................................................................................51

4.9.1 Self Esteem of the Female Students.................................................................................51

x
 TABLE OF CONTENTS (CONTINURD)
4.9.2 Parents Attitude towards Female Education....................................................................53
4.9.3 Teachers Attitude towards Female Education..................................................................57
4.9.4 Community Attitude towards Female Education.............................................................59
4.10 School Factors.................................................................................................................60

4.10.1 School to home distance.................................................................................................60

4.10.2 Sexual Harassments........................................................................................................63
4.10.3 Learning environment....................................................................................................65
4.10.4 Female Teacher as a Role Model...................................................................................66
4.11 Summary of the Qualitative Data Analysis.....................................................................67

5. SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS.................75

5.1 Summary............................................................................................................................75

5.2 Conclusion.........................................................................................................................77

5.3 Recommendations..............................................................................................................78

6. REFERENCES.............................................................................................83

7. APPENDICES..............................................................................................86
7.1 Appendix I: Interview Schedule for Sampled Female Students........................................87

7.2 Appendix II: Interviews Schedule for Household Heads..................................................92

7.3 Appendix III: Check list for FGD on Non-Sample Male and Female Teachers...............95

7.4 Appendix IV: Check list for FGD on School Administrators...........................................95

7.5 Appendix V: Check list for FGD on Non-Sample Female and Male students..................96

7.6 Appendix VI: Checklist for Key Informants Interview with Community Elder...............96

xi
 LIST OF TABLES
Table Page

1. Preparatory School Enrollment and Average Annual Growth Rate ..............................28

2. Gender Parity Index of Secondary Schools, 2000-2004 EC …………………….…….29
3. Performance of Female and Male Students in National Examination at Grade 12……30
4. Female and Male students mark range in 1st Semester in grade 11th and 12th………...31
5. Backgrounds Information of sampled female students………………………………...33
6. Backgrounds Information of female student household head………………………....36
7. Educational level of the household heads……………………………………………..37
8. Family Size of the Household Head…………………………………………………...38
9. Household Chores of the female students…………………………………………….40
10. Households Annual Income……………………………………………………………42
11. Land Holding status of the household heads…………………………………………..44
12. Relation of Schooling cost……………………………………………………………..45
13. Types School Costs which influencing female academic performance……………….47
14. Type of Household Activities that parents need female students……………………..48
15. Self-esteem of female students towards their education………………………………51
16. Positive Parents Attitude towards Female Students…………………………………...53
17. Negative Parents Attitude towards Female Students………………………………….54
18. Teacher Attitude towards Female Education………………………………………….55
19. Community Attitude towards Female Education……………………………………...57
20. School to home distance……………………………………………………………….59
21. Type of Problem due to Distance of School from home………………………………60
22. Sexual Harassment of the female students…………………………………………….62
23. School environment for female students………………………………………………63
24. Female Teacher as a Role Model………………………………………………………65

LIST OF FIGURES
Figure Page

xii
1. Conceptual framework………………………………………………………………19
2. Map of the study area……………………………………………………………......21
3. Sampling procedure……………………………………………..…………………..25
4. Female sampled students filling Interview Schedule………………………………..35
5. Female students doing household work after her class hours……………………….41
6. Grade 11th student selling Banana in the market……………………………………50
7. The female students attending tutorial class…………………………………………57
8. Closed the school gate for late comer students from the remote area……………….61
9. Female students Toilet without maintenance in Shinishicho Preparatory School…..64
10. FGD with non-sample Male and Female teachers…………………….……………..67
11. FGD with non-sample Male and Female students…………………………….……..68

FACTORS AFFECTING THE FEMALE STUDENTS ACADEMIC

PERFORMANCE IN PREPARATORY SCHOOL: THE CASE OF
xiii
 KACHA BIRRA WOREDA, KAMBATA-TEMBARO ZONE,
SOUTHERN NATION NATIONALITIES AND PEOPLES’ REGION,
ETHIOPIA

ABSTRACT
Nevertheless effort has been made by the government and non-governmental organizations
to improve the female students’ participation and achievement in the world, still calling for
further investigation in Ethiopia and particularly regions like SNNPR where we find
diversity of culture, traditions and economic activities. This research study focuses on
female students’ academic performance in Shinshicho Preparatory School Kacha Birra
Woreda, Kemebata-Temebaro Zone which is located at 368 Kms from the National capital,
Addis Ababa. The main objective of this study was aimed to analyze the female students’
academic performance and to identify the factors that affecting their academic
performance in Shinishicho Preparatory School of Kacha Birra Woreda, Kemebate
Temebaro Zone, in SNNPRS. Based on review of the related literature which indicated that
examine the average passing mark of the female students from schools could be an
appropriate indicator for understanding the magnitude of the problem at the school level.
It assumed that the individual and combined results of economic, family, psycho-social and
school factors on academic achievement of Preparatory School female students in the
Study School. The study was focused on the female students’ academic achievement with
reference to grade 11th roster results and 12th grade national examination results from
2002 to 2005 EC. For the study, 125 sampled female students and their respective 125
household head were selected by using Yemaneh Formula by adding 25 for comparison
purpose. From the total respondents 240 were returned back and 10 respondents were
missed. Primary and secondary data’s were collected by trained enumerators using
interview schedule, focus group discussion, in-depth interview and personal observation.
The collected data were analyzed by using descriptive statistic methods. The study result
revealed that Family factors such as educational level of the household head, family size
and household chores are highly influential in female students’ academic achievement.
Economic factors such as school costs, household income and parental needs of labour
could affect the achievement of the female students. In similar manner, school factors such
as sexual harassments, school to home distance, learning environment and female teacher
as a role model in teaching profession could affect also their achievement. In addition,
psychological factors such are self-esteem of the female students, parents attitude towards
female students, teachers attitude towards to female students, and community attitude
towards to female students contributed to that factors which affecting the female students
academic performance. Therefore, it is recommended that awareness workshop and panel
discussion forms should be organized for parents, organizing saving group at village level
for parents, building dormitory near to preparatory schools, encouraging gender focused
tutorial and school environment. Furthermore, it also needs awareness creation forms for
youth female, male, parents and mass communities about illegal migration to South Africa,
Middle East and Sudan

xiv
Keywords: Academic Performance, Female Students, Preparatory School

xv
 1. INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background
Education is an important foundation for any developing process in the world on which the
social, economic, political and cultural development of a nation is based. Education
improves the capacities of societies and their social, economic, scientific technological and
institutions. It also helps people to alleviate poverty, tackle demographic problems,
improve health and nutrition, and increase the value and efficiency of labor. Tadesse
Shiferaw (2009) indicated that education is not a charity rather a fundamental human right
for all people irrespective of their sex, race, economic status which is the key to sustainable
development, peace and stability among countries. In any society, the provision of
education is a fundamental and basic for human resource development. Education
represents a major form of human resources development. Human resource development is
determined by the availability and quality of education. Human resource development
constitutes an underlying basis upon material development. It is a cornerstone for the
nation’s fast socio-economic development (Tamirie, 2009).

The social and economic development of the country is directly linked with student
academic performance. The students’ performance (academic achievement) plays an
important role in producing the best quality human capital efficiency who will become
great leader and manpower for the country thus responsible for the country’s economic and
social development (Tadesse, 2009).

Alemayehu Bogale (2003) stated that education contributes for transforms both humanity
and human instillations. Similarly, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights of 1948
stipulates that everyone has the right to education. It is not a charity rather it is a
fundamental human right for all the people irrespective of their sex, race, economic status
and other difference. Similarly, it is indicated that girls and women should have equal
access to, and continuing participation in all forms and levels of education. However,
historical dispirits in education existed in almost all societies, especially between male and

1
females. In spite of the universal principles today, it is a fact that all over the world more or
less subtle, obvious or cancelled discrimination against women remained as a truth whose
existence is undeniable.

Department for International Development (2005) portrayed that there are still 58 million
girls worldwide who are not in school. The majority of these girls live in sub-Saharan
Africa and South and West Asia. A girl growing up in a poor family in sub-Saharan Africa
has less than a one-in-four chance of getting a secondary education. The Millennium
Development Goal (MDG) to get as many girls as boys into primary and secondary school
by 2005 is likely to be missed in more than 75 countries.

Girls’ education has long been recognized as a human right however this right to education
is denied to 58 million girls, and a further 45 million boys, even at the primary school level.
More than 75 countries are likely to miss the 2005 MDG target for gender parity in primary
and secondary enrolments. One-third of these countries are in sub-Saharan Africa. More
than 40 % of all countries with data are at risk of not achieving gender parity at primary,
secondary or both levels of education even by 2015 (DFID, 2005)

Education is one of the social factors whereby gender disparity is reflected. The number
and proportion of educated females is very low. As the grade level of education increases,
the number of female students starts to decline. Consequently, higher education remains the
level of learning where females are less represented both as students and staff. The very
few women that are fortunate enough to join higher learning institutions can be
characterized by lower academic performance and higher forced withdrawal.
Consequently, such inequity in higher education representation has a serious life-long
impact on their opportunities to participate in the country’s political power sharing
economic privileges as well as social representations (Yeshimebrat, Alemayehu and Firew,
2013).

In Ethiopia, as in many other part of the world, the vast majority of women are demoted to
traditional roles and consequently their participation minimal in social and economic
development in general and in education in particular. Access to education at all levels is
2
more readily available to male more than females. Ethiopia is one of the developing
countries with low females’ performances in education. Statistics reveals that the number
of female students in primary, secondary and higher education is not equal to that of male
students regarding to score high grade. This low performance is one of the causes for
females’ to be underprivileged and underrepresented in development programs (Kassa
Shurke, 2006).

Women are at the heart of most societies. Regardless of whether they are working or not,
mothers are very influential people in children’s lives. Educating girls is one of the most
important investments that any country can make in its own future. 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. Having an education
can make an enormous difference to a woman’s chances of finding well-paid work, raising
a healthy family and preventing the spread of diseases such as HIV and AIDS (DFID,
2005).

Ayelew (2005) stated that the Ethiopian population is primary rural. MoE (2004) indicated
that, nearly 85% of the Ethiopia populations live in the rural areas. The educational system
was however, urban biased for long times. Women constitute half of the country's
population and are involved in 50- 80% of the economic development and social welfare
activities. It can be estimated that the majority of the people living in chronic poverty in
Ethiopia are women who are most of living in rural areas. According to the UNESCO
(1985), failures to send female students to school do have deep rooted sociocultural bases
such as early marriage, child bearing responsibility and unwillingness to allow female
student to travel long distance. In many countries female student are expected to contribute
to childcare and household chores rather than go to school (Kassa, 2006).

Emebet (2001) revealed that, Ethiopia is among the poorest and educationally most
disadvantageous country in the world. The prevalence of illiteracy rate is one of indicators
of the country welfare. The male literacy rate is 40% whereas for female is 19.5% of the
country population (Ayalew, 2005).

3
The report of the Central Statistical Authority (CSA, 2007), indicated that, women
constitute half of the Ethiopian population. They should have constituted significant
proportion of the work force and contributed to economic, social and political development
of the country. From the school age population of female students in the country, there was
very low proportion at secondary level. Not only women are low in number but also poorly
performing at the level with particular reference to grade 10 (Ten) national examination is
low.

Wudu and Getahun (2009) indicated that it is very evident that gender issues have received
high priority in education policy in Ethiopia since the new government came to power in
the early 1990s. A specific objective of the Education and Training Strategy is to use
education to change attitudes towards the role of women in development (Federal
Democratic Republic of Ethiopia (FDRE), 2002). This included giving attention to gender
issues in curriculum design, placing special emphasis upon the recruitment, training and
assignment of female teachers, and giving financial support to raising the participation of
women in education. The education of girls was also supported by a number of other
government policies such as population and social policy, women’s policy, etc. Even so,
the issue of female’s education is still calling for further investigation in Ethiopia and
particularly regions like SNNPR where we find diversity of culture, traditions and
economic activities (Tadesse, 2009)

In the same fashion, the patterns of girl’s academicals achievement in secondary levels are
more severely so for SNNPR particularly for: Kembata Tembaro Sone, Zone where the
status of women are inferior to men in almost all aspects of life. Woman’s role in the area
is usually confined only to boring activities linked to child rearing, housework and support
of adult men, thus they have little or less access to schooling which more dominant in the
rural parts (Elias, 2006)

Many of the factors which affecting female education at secondary level identified by
different scholars were family factors (educational level of the house hold head family
size household chores), economic factors (school cost, household income and parental
needs of labor), Psychological factors (parental attitude towards female education, teachers
4
and community attitudes towards female students, self-esteem of female students and early
marriage) and School factors (sexual harassment, school distance, learning environment,
and model female teachers).

Cognizing all these challenges, this study is designed to investigate and identify the factors
that affect the academic performance of female students and will be tried to show the
possible recommendation to alleviate specified chronic problems in secondary schools of
Kacha Birra Woreda, Kembat-Tembaro zone, SNNPRS

1.2. Statement of the Problem

MDG 2 is focused on ensuring that all boys and girls are able to complete primary school.
Central to this goal is improving the literacy rates of young men and women. Women and
girls are much less likely to complete primary school and go on to higher levels of
education. The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) has estimated that worldwide,
there are almost twice as many illiterate women as there are men. Ensuring that both boys
and girls are able to attend school is a crucial part of reducing poverty and achieving
sustainable development. It means that men and women will be equipped with the
knowledge and skills to contribute to their society (AusAID, 2010)

Education is a corner stone of rural development. It is an inevitable a foundational for any

sort of development. Education is an instrument for reducing poverty, improving the living
condition of rural people, and ensuring wellbeing of the society. Educated male and female
citizens are a great asset for a country to build a sustainable development. However,
educating female students’ confronts big challenges and become difficult tasks due to
various educational problems that can hinder them to achieve desired education goals
(Bogalech et al., 2007).

According to Tamirie (2009), access to secondary education was mentioned as one of the
biggest problems and one of the main reasons for girls’ lower enrolment in secondary
education. Secondary schools are mainly located in urban areas or in district centers, which
implies that students either have to walk a long distance to school or have to stay in
dormitories for entire weeks, months or semesters. In either case this situation affects girls
5
more than boys. Girls are more vulnerable to insecurity and unsafe roads and dormitories
are often unsafe for girls. In line this, Yenenesh (2007), substantiated that, children access
to the education in the rural areas is still much lower than in urban areas. Adult literacy is
much higher and the quality of education is very poor. Creating access to quality education
for rural people is of crucial important in the realization of human rights and achieving the
millennium development Goal (MGDs).

The Constitution of Ethiopia defines the equality of women and men, recognizes the right
of affirmative measures for women and provides special attention to women so as to enable
them to compete and participate on the basis of equality with men in political, social and
economic life in public and private institutions. The Government of Ethiopia has launched
an educational program with major emphasis on enhancing the participation of females in
education through different means. It has taken quite a number of series measures
particularly aimed at improving quality of teaching, to enhance students’ academic
achievement and realizing the importance of quality education (MoE, 1994).

However the practice, women are far away from exercising their rights, especially in
education. Female student in rural Ethiopia invariably encountered different problems in
attending school. Several studies in Ethiopia revealed that poverty or economic constrain
were the stumbling blocks for female education. In ability to buy school materials is one of
the reasons why females’ dropout (Embet, 2001). The factors within the class room are not
the only cause of gender imbalances in education and those home based factors, which
include family size, parent education, cultural and traditional believes all contributes
substantially to the poor achievement in school. The academic performance of female
students seems to be one of the major deep rooted and prevalent problems in Ethiopia. In
spite of the policy, the pattern of female academic achievement is still very low in the
country, especially in the countryside or rural parts of Ethiopia (Tadesse, 2009).

Similarly, tremendous problems observed which contributes low achievements of female

students in academic performance in the study area. Various studies indicated that, family
back ground, Social challenges, Cultural and traditional believes, school environment
problems are the issues which affecting the female students academic performance in the

6
study area. An associated issue with distance of the school from their home is one the
problems. Aaccess to secondary education was mentioned as one of the biggest problems
and one of the main reasons for girls’ lower enrolment in secondary education. Secondary
schools are mainly located in urban areas or in district centers, which implies that students
either have to walk a long distance to school or have to stay in dormitories for entire weeks,
months or semesters. In either case this situation affects girls more than boys. Girls are
more vulnerable to insecurity and unsafe roads and dormitories are often unsafe for girls
(Tamirie, 2009).

Therefore, this research study will be under taken in the Shinishicho Preparatory school
that is the only one Preparatory school which found in the urban area of district center of
Kuacha Birra Woreda. The female students who are living within woreda kebeles are
usually coming from rural areas to Shinishicho Preparatory School with various suffering.
Some of them are travelling a long distance to school every day while the other have to
stay in dormitories for entire weeks, months or semesters with renting the house. Having
identified the problem at the ground level, researcher will make an attempt to conduct the
particular research study at Kacha Birra Woreda, Kembate Timbaro Zone, SNNPRS. The
research study of investigations will give solution to the problem of the female students’
academic performance to the policy makers, development practitioners and educational
bureaus.

1.3. The objectives of the study

1.3.1 The General Objective

The general objective of this study is to analyze the female students’ academic
performance in Shinishicho Preparatory School of Kacha Birra Woreda, Kembate
-Tembaro Zone.

1.3.2 The Specific Objectives

The specific objectives of the study are:

1. to examine the academic performance of female students in the Shinishicho

preparatory School and
7
 2. to identify the factors that affecting the academic performance of female students in
the study area

1.4. Scope and Limitation of the Study

Due to time, financial and related constraints this study was confined to Kacha Birra
Woreda, Shinshicho Preparatory School. Grade 11 and 12 students were the target
population. All the findings and conclusions were reflecting grade 11 and 12 students.
Furthermore, the subject of the study was focused on the secondary school female students,
teachers, educational experts and key informants. The researcher intentionally made that
the information or data gathered from this school was representing the study population.

1.5. Significance of the Study

Even though there has been enormous increase in the significant number of girls in the
study area, still their performance has been remained in the low level. Being the major
instrument for economic and social development, education has long been considered as
the key to a better life by enhancing girl education. Due to several factors affecting it, the
Performance of women in education and hence in the socio-economic development is much
lower than that of men. Therefore, the need for this particular research study was assess the
major causes that limit girls’ opportunity to attend and make success in the secondary
education. The findings would help to the policy makers and practitioners in adjusting
policy directions to tackle major problems on females' education. It can support further
research in the study area. It may also support for policy makers in formulation national
and sub national policies and program. The final document can help as a reference material
for those who will write the term paper and theses in the future.

2. LITERATURE REVIEW
This chapter will be discussed the theoretical and analytical aspects of the factors which
affecting female students performance in education. Accordingly, an attempt has been
made to review about female education by giving emphasis on factors affecting their
educational performance.
8
Since the right of education is recognized as basic human right, it seems to follow that
female and male should profit equally from education. Yet for centuries there was only
little concern as to whether both male and female profited equally by education. It was
regarded as natural that male should receive more formal schooling than female even
though school education is compulsory for both gender groups. There are, of course an
abundance of education studies with in a number of countries which confirmed females
achievement in education is characterized by sexual differences.

The issues gender disparity in education between male and female groups have been a
serious problem in Ethiopian education system at all levels in general, and of higher
education in particular. The number of dropout has not been proportional to the size of
population when compared to male and female students throughout the county (Tadessa,
2009). The long-term vision of Ethiopian Growth and Transformation (GTP) emphasizes
the importance of social justice, which is based on equality among various groups in
Ethiopia and between men and women. The objectives of the GTP also pretty well stress
the importance of achieving the Millennium Development Goals(MDGs), which gives
significant place for gender equality and equity in various sectors of the economy and
social services (MoE, 2005).

World Bank (2006) stated that the nature of gender inequalities in education has changed
profoundly over recent decades and with regard to attainment in particular, has become
more complex. The one way for developing countries to bring a better standard of living of
the people is to invest in education of girls. Not only well educated women are more
productive, but they will also bring up better educated and healthier children .The
proportion of females to male higher education academic achievement and participation
has not yet reached the same. This shows that the higher education females are still a long
way off, as compared to what is desired by the country (MoE, 2005).

The academic performance of the female students seems to be one of the major deep rooted
and prevalent problems in Ethiopia. In spite of the policy, the pattern of female academic
achievement is still very low in the country, especially in the countryside or rural parts of
Ethiopia (Tadesse, 2009).

9
The Ethiopian population is primary rural. The educational system was however, urban
biased for long times. Women constitute half of the country's population and are involved
in 50- 80% of the economic development and social welfare activities. It can be estimated
that the majority of the people living in chronic poverty in Ethiopia are women who are
most of living in rural areas Ayelew (2005). Unable to send the female students to school
do have deep rooted sociocultural bases such as early marriage child bearing responsibility
and willingness to allow female student to travel long distance. In many countries female
student are expected to contribute to childcare and household chores rather than go to
school (Kassa, 2006).

2.1. Benefits of female education

Several of the research over the last few decades has established that the benefits of female
education are considerable. The one way for developing countries to bring a better life
standard of people is to invest in education of girls. Not only well educated women are
more productive, but they will also bring up better educated and healthier children. Female
education improves children’s health, reduces the number of unwanted births and causes
women to want smaller families. The potential for more productive labor, better health, and
slower population growth all argue for more investment in female education (Wakgari et
al., 2012).

2.2. Women in Development

The world is unequal and it is most unequal for women and girls. Most of the poorest
people in the world are women and part of what makes them poor is the discrimination they
face purely because of their gender. These are the girls whose brothers go off to school in
the morning while they stay at home to fetch water or work around the house (Elias, 2006).

There is no doubt that female involvement in development will multiply social benefits.
Educated mothers have fewer children, at later age and more widely spaced, greater
domestic bargaining power and knowledge and their opportunity costs are higher. The full
and complete development of the country will depend up on the maximum participation of
the females who are about half of the countries’ population in Ethiopia. (MoE, 2002).

10
No single strategy for getting girls in school and keeping them there works. Every country
needs to generate its own recipe for success. However, four key elements present in the
most successful countries include Improving the educational system overall, including
evidence-based planning, good financing systems and healthy budgets, minimal barriers to
access, and attention to quality; Failing to meet the goal of gender equity in education will
not only hurt the girls who lose an opportunity for an education, but also impose societal
costs in terms of lower growth, higher fertility, child mortality and malnutrition (Sam
Gibson, 2004)

2.3 Female Student Performance in Education

Currently a girl’s education has been a matter of increasing concern to the governments in
general and parents in particular. Hence, education researchers throughout the continents
have studied girl’s education in terms of access, retention and achievement in education.
As many research findings pointed out due to the factors that attached with socio culture
pressure on girls to their tradition role girls were denied the right of equal access to
education.

Elias (2006) did their research and came with the finding; girl’s education on most
developing countries often less positive and effective than education for boy. In a similar
manner research conducted in Africa by UNCEF revealed that in Africa enrollment of girls
were far less than those of boys at all levels. Overall progress towards universal primary
education in the past decade has been encouraging. This practically implicated that, less
participation directly contributing to low achievements and performance. All in all, what
must be realized from the above research studies and report is that there are more school-
age girls who do not get opportunity to go to school. Girls at all levels of education still
account for much lower achievement than do boys and often they leave school earlier than
their classmates. The reasons for girls’ low achievement in many places are undoubtedly
many and diverse. However, there are certain factors which most countries commonly
share the problems for girls disadvantage in school. Hence, it seems essential to highlight at
this level some of research findings on the major factor that affects that performance of
girls in education

11
2.4 Major Factors Affecting the Female Academic Performance

2.4.1 School factors

School has no worth without student. Students are most essential asset for any educational
institute. The school environment highly determined the success of education program. It
can be influence the effectiveness of teaching and learning process. The learning
environment, distance to school, model female teachers and sexual harassments are school
related the main factors which affect female students academic performance (Irfan et al.,
2012).

School to home distance

School to home distance has been another constraining for girls’ education in many parts of
rural side Ethiopia. Alemayehu (2003) stated that school related reasons which discourage
girls' performance at over great distance of school to home. Secondary schools are scattered
over great distance and parents do not dare to send their daughters to such a far distance.
The journey may be unsafe, since many girls at this school age experience harassment and
physical attack either on public transports or remote path in rural areas. Most of the girls
that live far away from school and have to walk long distance which not only discouraged
them but also worried their parents as to their daughters' security on travel to and from
schools. According to Kassa (2006), in many countries, distance to school has a bigger
impact on girls than on boys for a variety of reason, in some places young girls are not
considered to be ready for travel, older girls may not be subject to harassment, and even if
the trip is safe, the direct cost may be high and the time lost on traveling would be more
costly to girls work than to that of boys.

School learning environment

World Bank (2009) stated that in relation to School environment and the physical
environment of schools have been identified as a source of low performance or
absenteeism among girls. Lack of privacy due to shared toilet facilities between boys and
girls may cause menstruating girls unbearable embarrassment. A quality of school facilities
has direct impacts on learning process. The attractive school which is well designed and
attractively furnished has an effect on students’ achievement (Elias 2006). The importance
of human and material resources in achieving better schooling outcomes, including such
12
factors as school infrastructure, class size, teacher experience and qualifications and
availability of instructional materials have emphasized largely in low-income countries.
Class size has been the most widely examined variable in educational policy studies among
the various school characteristics, however, the effects of class size on school achievement
are inconsistent Taddese (2009). The separate toilet for female and male students,
educational equipment’s and materials, well equipped library, attractive furnished school
blocks directly impact on the student performance in education especially for female
students (Alemayehu, 2003).

Female Teacher as a Role Model

The importance of female role models is widely accepted as means of promoting greater
gender equality (UNESCO 2003). The promotion of role model such as female teachers has
been a strategy to encourage females' education particularly young girls in rural areas.
According to Kassa (2006), in all aspects of girls' school the availability of female teacher
is salient as both an instrument and a product. Girls having women teachers can speed up
formation of a clubs of female teachers. The presence of female teachers in the teaching
staff can attract girls to learn by providing a guarantee to parents to enroll their daughters.
He also stated that highest female literacy and enrollment rates of all states due to large
number of female teachers. The shortage of female teachers as well as female civil
servants, in addition to the lack of infrastructure can frustrate both parents and female
students to enroll. This can affect the achievements of female students in education.

Sexual Harassments
Yeshimebrat et al., (2013) stated that, sexual harassments, domestic violence, dating
violence and stalking are another school related serious problems. Male students are mostly
identified as offenders and their acts include verbal abuses, showing sexually appealing
writings and magazines, telling sex related jokes to female students without their consent,
Disseminating female students’ photographs, Sending sex related messages using
electronic instruments, Touching female students’ body, Assigning and using sex related
nick names to female student, Harassing females through continuously following their
activities and Hiding learning materials and forcing female students for sexual practice

13
2.4.2 Family Factors
Tadesse (2009) argued that different research has consistently shown that students’
academic achievement has influenced by background of family characteristics such as
educational level of households, household chores and family sizes.

Family size
In this respect research findings by Alemayehu (2003) have indicated that the major
problems and that influence girl’s process in their education were economic constraints and
large family size. Even when school fees are free, cost of education materials such as
stationary school uniform and other supplementary items are too expensive for low income
families. In such situation, when it comes to choice in poor families as who go to school
among their children they give priority to male children instead of girls, because the boys
are expected to be the future of bread winner and also boys can generate cash to cover their
school expenses.

Educational level of Households head

Elias (2006) indicated that parents’ level of education has a multifaceted impact on
children ability to learn in school. It is not only to influence parent-child interaction related
to the learning process but also affects parents income and need for help their children in
home and school. Parents especially mothers educational back ground has remarkable
effects on girl education. There is a positive correlation between mothers’ education and
girl access to education and their academic performances. Mothers schooling increase the
educational attainment of their children especially daughters’ education performance
ensured.

Tadesse (2009) also argued that regardless of national context, parents who have more
educated appear better able to provide their children with the academic and social support
important for educational success when compared to parents with less educated. In another
words poverty, low level of parental education, parental and neighborhood negative
attitude towards schooling in general, children among from disadvantaged background
have significantly poor academic achievement (Elias, 2006) whereas children with high
level of parental education have greater access to a wide variety of economic and social
14
resources that can be drawn upon to help their children succeed in school.

Household Chores
The daughters' labor demand of parents for household work can affect females'
participation in education. The amount of time females spend on home responsibilities and
other chores also reduces their time and energy they spend in schools affecting their
educational success (Teshome, 2003). Female education is also affected by their labor
demand by parent (to help at home). According to the Kassa (2006) women may force
them to keep their daughters at home to help with care of younger siblings, time consuming
tasks on the farm, and such household chores as cleaning, cooking and collecting fuel.
According to Kane (2004) findings, most parents do not prefer sending their daughters to
school in fear of losing support at home. According to UNESCO (2003), in Ethiopia,
under-enrollment is very much a rural phenomenon and a gender gap is largely absent in
urban areas. In rural areas only 25 percent of school age girls are enrolled in primary
school compared with 31 percent boys. It costs (at least indirectly) the parents more to send
boys to school than girls, because of the contributions made by girls in household activities.

2.4.3. Economic Factors

The academic performance of the female students has been found to have link with socio-
economic condition of the family. It is one of the factors that can affect parent's decision to
send a female child to school. According to Kassa (2006), there are two types of costs of
schooling, direct cost of schooling including tuition fees, the cost of books, uniforms and
supplies, required by the school, the cost of transportation, lodging and board required for
attending the school. The other cost is opportunity costs or indirect cost. It may be higher
wages for child labor in families with more productive farms or business and in families
more dependent on children.

School Costs
The direct schooling costs have been found to be the major reason parents offer for not
educating girls or for removing them from the school. Apart from tuition, such costs
include fees for registration, boarding, parent and school association fees, book rental, and
the cost of uniforms, the provision of furniture, extra tutorials and transportation. The direct
15
costs or financial constraints hold back more girls than boys from schooling. (Teshome,
2003).

Household income
According to the World Bank (2004), the role of poverty was great in females' education.
Even if the perceived benefits and costs of sending their children to an additional year of
school were the same for poor and non-poor parents alike, the poor might choose less
schooling for their children because they must weigh current costs more heavily relative to
future benefits. World Bank (2006) study indicated that, fees reinforce and widen
inequalities but this like many other factors raised must be carefully examined as issues
such as awareness among parents of reliefs, and wealth of parents are also likely to
contribute to the impact of fees. The impact of fees is greatest on the poor. The children of
poor households are more likely to be withdrawn from school, to drop out early, or to fail
to enroll altogether. The poorest people are typically unaware of the exemption schemes,
that entitlements are frequently tapped off in favor of the non-poor, and that the humiliation
of applying for exemptions is itself a major deterrent.

Parents Need for labour

The economic opportunity loss also affects families productive or business activities use
labor, mostly the girl child. Parent, to get additional income for their household subsistence
and to secure daily demanding basic need, women spend more time on income generating
activities and domestic chores (UNESCO, 2003). The opportunity costs of girls’ schooling
are associated with resources and services lost due to sending the child to school. Child
labour is indispensable to the survival of many rural households in Sub-Sahara Africa:
agricultural work, domestic work (cooking, collecting fuel. fetching water) marketing as
well as child care services are required from children, with girls demanded more than boys.
The poor rural parents responded by sending their daughters into the domestic labour market
in exchange for regular cash income (Teshome, 2003).

16
2.4.4 Psychological Factors
The cultural factors which related to cultural beliefs, customs, practices, insecurity, girls’
expectations and other traditions play a significant role in the academic performance of
female students.

Parental attitude towards female education

Traditionally, women are given to the role of a wife, a mother and a house keeper whereas
men are a bread winner, protector and supporter. Women dominated by the societal attitude
to accept and behave accordingly. When compared to men and women regardless of the
socio-cultural influence on their success men can move from one place to another in search
of facility; whereas women are constrained socio-culturally as they glued to their families
(Kassa, 2006).

Community Attitude towards female education

The socialization process in the society is one of the major constraints impacting on the
girls’ participation in education. This process starts in the family and continues in the
school and the society at large (Alemayehu, 2003). Kassa (2006) stated that girls are
expected to have special physical protection. Traditionally, they often demand special
concern for privacy and social reputation. In some societies there is a cultural belief that
females must be secluded from direct confrontation of other members of the society during
puberty stage. In support of this view Alemayehu (2003) also confirmed that parents and
societies as a whole expect girls to behave in certain way and boys in different way.

Self-esteem of Female students

Indeed, it is unusual for young girls to have the opportunity to pursue studies in the field of
science and technology that are opportunity hard and sophisticated. Instead they have been
geared to opt less prestigious and shorter courser such as home economic nursing and
typing. Moreover, there is elsewhere the overarching traditional belief that regards girls as
less intelligent than boys. This, of course, will have dire consequence for girls' progress in
education. In fact, the different expectation and the wrong premises of viewing girls as
intellectually inferior will affect girls self-concept, and level of aspiration (Alemayehu,
2003). However, there has been evident to suggest that cultural barriers and attitudes

17
against women are now days seem to be changed. They are not of those times when
denying equal rights to women. So, great efforts have been made to raise the community
awareness about the value of girls’ education.

Teachers’ Attitude
Tadesse (2009) stated that girls at secondary school level have problems with teacher’s
attitudes and behavior. Teachers have been accused in some cases for lacking both of
sympathy and helpful attitude for girl students due to the majority of the teachers are
consistent with the stereotype conception about the ability of (girls, they perceived girls as
having less talent than boys). Thus, both male and female teachers have low confidence
and gave less attention and supportive help than boys Gender stereotyping of subject in
school take place commonly with boys being encouraging to study (emphasize) science and
mathematics and girls subjects to study home science, language and the like. The
curriculum and materials carry both implicit and explicit message that characterizes women
as inferior, helpless and dependent.

2.5. Conceptual Framework

The female students’ education is expected to be affected by the following factors such as
family, economic, school and cultural factors which have to be investigated in the
Shinischo Preparatory School. The following is the conceptual framework developed for
this study based on the available literature and observation.

FAMILY FACTORS ECONOMIC FACTORS

 Educational Level of the  School Costs

Household Head  Household Income

 Family Size  Parental Needs of Labour

 Household Chores  Land holding Status

ACADEMIC
PERFORMANCE
OF THE
18
FEMALE
STUDENTS
 PSYCHOLOGICAL FACTORS SCHOOL FACTORS
 Self Esteem of the Female Students  Sexual Harassments
 Parents Attitude towards Female
 School Distance
Students
 Teachers Attitude towards to  Learning environment
Female students  Female Teacher as a Role
 Community Attitude towards to
Model
Female Students

Figure 1: Conceptual Framework of the study

Source: Based on the available Literatures

3. METHODOLOGY

3.1. Description of the Study Area

Kacha Birra woreda is located in Kembata-Tembaro Zone of SNNP Regional State with
the distance of 368 Kms from the National capital, Addis Ababa. The Woreda has 27
Kebeles (3 Urban and 24 Rural KAs) with a total of population size of 142,940 (63486
female). As Kacha Birra Woreda education office date indicated that two high school
(grade 9-10) one is private and one Govt. 38- Primary School, and 102 -Pre-school and 1
Preparatory High School are funded in the Woreda. Shinishich Preparatory School is found
in this Kacha Birra Worea Town center.

Topography of the Woreda varies from gentile to steep slopes with altitudinal range of
1650 to 2650 m.a.s.l and among those plateau covers (5%), Mountainous (65%) and valley
floor (30%). Furthermore, the Woreda exhibits three diversified agro-ecological zones
namely the ‘Dega’ (highland) the ‘Woinadega’ (midland) and the ‘Kolla’ (low land). As far
as the KA distribution is concerned, 13 KAs fall in the “Woina dega” (midland), 8 KAs are

19
in the “Dega” (highland) and the rest 6 KAs are in the “Kola” (lowland) zones. The
average annual temperature in the cold season is 16ºc and it reaches 32ºc in hot season. The
annual rain fall ranges from 750-1200mm.
(Source: Bureau of Finance and Economic Development, Kembata-Tembaro Zone, 2011)

Shinishicho Preparatory
School

Figure 2: Kacha Birra Woreda Map

Source: Bureau of Finance and Economic Development, Kembata-Tembaro Zone,
2011

3.2 Research Design

The study used both qualitative and quantitative methods, to analyze female students’
performance in Shinishicho Preparatory School of Kacha Birra Woreda, Kembate Timbaro
Zone. The study focused on the analyzing the performance of female students and to
identify the factors that affecting the academic performance of female students in the study
area.

20
This study attempted to reflect upon historical and cross-sectional events. It was a survey
research and it aimed to include investigations from more than a single case it is a multiple
case study design. The execution of the study framed around the following procedures
which includes developing instruments for data collection, creating contact with concern
educational offices, selecting research settings and sampling the research population or
respondents, pre-testing instruments, administering instruments and completing data
collection, analyzing and interpreting data and writing the final report.

3.3 Data Sources and Data Type

The researcher used both primary and secondary data sources. The target population of the
study was female students at Preparatory School of Grade 11 th and 12th, teachers, female
students’ household head, male and female students, and school administrators of schools
and education office officials. The source of primary data was obtained from sample
female students of Grade 11th and 12th and their household heads that encompasses those
who come from different kebeles of Kacha Birra Woreda.

The data which collected from sample female students and their respective household
heads used as target population of the study. The semi-structured interview schedules used
to collect data with the help of trained enumerators. The secondary data collected from the
records, documents and roasters of education office of Kacha Birra woreda. The first
semester average achievement result of the sample school female students also reviewed
from their examination results of student roasters.

In order to measure the qualitative aspects of the research study, the researcher was
conducted FGDs with non-sample male and female teachers, school administrators and
education office officials, male and female students. Additionally, the researcher used in-
depth interviews with non-sample elder (‘Shemagele’) of the female student parents and
female students.

3.3.1. Direct Observation

The observation method was used for data collection in social science inquiries. The
information was sought by way of investigator’s own direct observation to understand the
21
study context and phenomenon without asking from the respondent. Accordingly, to
understand what was happening with regard to the problem under investigation in the study
area, researcher would observe the Students movements in the school environment. While
conducting observation, researcher would record facts and general information of the
school areas. Thus, in doing so, researchers’ was trying to investigate the real and accurate
information concerning the status and effects of female education in the study area.

3.3.2. In depth Interview

In order to collect the qualitative data for this inquiry, researcher used two elders
(‘Shemagele’) non-sample female student parents and three the most remote area grade 11 th
and 12th students’ in-depth interviews. To do so, researcher’s prepared the checklist
accordingly. Since the study needs to investigate the qualitative information about the
female education. While interviewing the researcher directed the interviewee in fruitful
directions depending on the response of the participant respondents’ to express their in
depth understanding under investigation for unstructured interview question.

3.3.3. Focus Group Discussion (FGD)

In order to investigate the qualitative information and subjective understanding of a
research participant for this study, researcher was employed Focus Group Discussion as
data gathering tools also. To conduct such a Focus Group Discussion, researcher’s has
collected the information from non-sample members such as School administrators, Male
and Female students and Male and Female Teachers in the school for this study.
Accordingly, 2 rounds of Focus Group Discussions (FGD) were conducted with 16 female
and male students. Focus Group Discussion also made 8 male and female teachers and with
8 School administrators and Education office officials by using Check list to bridge the gap
of questionnaires. The focus groups were consisted of 32 members with distinct
characteristics. The discussion was intended to elicit or dig out different facts of the female
educational performances in the study area.

3.4. Sampling Design and Sampling Procedure

The research population included 11th and 12th Grade Female Students from Preparatory
School of Kacha Birra Woreda was a focus of this study. The students selected for the

22
reason that there might had clearly understanding of the factors that affect female students’
academic performance in their environments and they were provided the required
information on female students’ academic performance.

The Shinshicho Preparatory School was selected purposively to carry out the research
study. The criterion was that in the study area found only one Preparatory School in the
woreda. The study was restricted to Preparatory Schools who were attending the Grade 11 th
and 12th female students in the academic year 2013/2014.

The female students of Grade 11th and 12th were stratified students from Shinshicho
Preparatory School. Then by using Yemane’s Formula sample size was determined as
indicated below.
Yemane’s Formula for Sample size determination:
n= ___N__
1+N(e)2
n= Samplie size,
N=Population
e (margin of error) is 0.1 while confident level is 95% and precision level is 90% (that is
10% (0.1) margin error)

n = ___287__ = __287__ = 287 = 100

1+287(0.1)2 288(0.1)2 2.88

Accordingly, 100 sample female students were selected through random sampling system.
The total female students of grade 11th are 120 whereas 12th were 167. The sample students
were determined according to proportionally of the 11th and 12th female students. The
sample female students were 100 out of that Grade 11 th were 42 and the Grade 12 th was
58. For comparison purpose, the researcher had added additional 25 respondents according
to the proportion of the grade 11th and 12th female students. Finally, the total sample size
was 125. In similar manner from 125 respective sampled female students household heads
were addressed. The data was collected the household heads of those sampled female

23
students by using semi-structured interview schedules. Therefore, the sample size was 250.
Therefore, interview schedule questioners distributed to 250 sampled populations and
returned back were 240. In order to measure the qualitative aspects of the research study,
the researcher was conducted FGDs with 8 male and female teachers, 8 administrators and
education office officials, 16 male and female students. Additionally, the researcher used
two (2) elder (‘Shemagele’) female student parents and three (3) the most remote area
grade 11th and 12th students’ in-depth interviews. Accordingly, a total of 37 Non sample
respondents were addressed.

Shinshicho Preparatory School

Purposively Selected

Total No. of Female Total No. of Female

Students in Grade 11 = Students in Grade 12 = 167 Stratified
120

Grade 11 Female Grade 12 Female Yemane’s Formula

Students = 42 Students = 58

Total Sample Female Students

n=100+25=125

Figure 3: Sampling Procedures

3.5 Data Collection Techniques

The semi-structured interview schedule was used to collect the data from the sample
female students and their respective household heads. The data was collected with the help
of the trained enumerators. The qualitative data was also collected with the help of the
24
checklists containing list of questions asked from the non-sample respondents’ female and
male students, female students’ household head/parents, male and female teachers and
school administrators and education office officials in the form of FGDs. In depth
interviews was also held with non-sample female students and non-sample female students’
household heads. The main purpose of the interviews and the Focus Group Discussions
was triangulated information from various sources and to obtain data or information not
revealed by one or another instrument of data collection.

The secondary data was collected from the document and roasters of education office of
Kacha Birra woreda. Annual abstract of educational statistics regional, Zonal and Woreda
documents were reviewed. The last semester average achievement result of the sample
school female students also was reviewed from their examination results of student
roasters.

3.6. Data Processing and Analysis

The collected data was organized and tabulated according to their similarities under the
theme issues raised in the interviews. The statistical tools like frequency, percentage and
average were predominantly used. The variables were interpreted in the form of tables with
detailed description of both quantitative as well as qualitative aspects respectively.

Qualitative data which collected through Direct Observation, In-depth Interview, and Focus
Group Discussion (FGD) were analyzed by using Triangulation methods of qualitative data
analysis. The secondary data collected from the government report documents were
analyzed and used.

Quantitative data which collected through Interview Schedule were analyzed and
interpreted by using different statistical tools such as frequency, percentage and average.
Therefore, the researcher was employed both qualitative and quantitative tools in data
analysis methods to achieve the study objectives. Finally, the interpretation and
conclusions were drawn from the major findings and possible recommendations from the
identified problems were suggested.

25
 4. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
4.1 Introduction
In this chapter the results of the study on factors affecting female students’ academic
performance are presented. It dealt with presentation, analysis and interpretation of data.
The quantitative data collected from the female students and parents. The qualitative data
collected from School administrators, Male and Female Teachers, Male and Female
Students, Elders (Shemagels’). The data collected with the help of Interview Schedule, and
checklists for Focus Group Discussion, and Personal In-depth interview and Case stories
were analyzed and interpreted in each table accordingly. The findings of the research result
were discussed based on the objectives of the research study i.e to examine the academic
performance of the female students in the Shinishicho Preparatory School and to identify the
factors that affecting the academic performance of female students in the study area.

This study was conducted in the Shinishicho Preparatory School of Kacha Birra Woreda,
Kembate Tembaro Zone. The study school was selected by using the purposive sampling
method. 100 female students were selected for the study through using Simple Random
Sampling techniques with the deploying of the Yemane’s Formula. For comparison purpose,
the researcher had added additional 25 respondents. Finally, the total sample size was 125.
In similar manner from 125 respective sampled female students’ household heads addressed
by using semi-structured interview schedules. Therefore, interview schedule questioners
distributed to 250 sampled populations and returned back were 240. The data were analyzed
and interpreted by using different statistical tools such as frequency, mean and percentage.

In order to measure the qualitative aspects of the research study, the researcher was
conducted FGDs with 8 male and female teachers, 8 administrators and education office
officials, 16 male and female students. Additionally, the researcher used 2 elders
(‘Shemagele’) female student parents and 3 the most remote area grade 11 th and 12th
students’ in-depth interviews. Accordingly, a total of 37 Non sample respondents were
26
addressed.

4.2 Participation of Female Students in School Education

The secondary data obtained from recent documents of Education Office were used to
analyze on different dimensions of female students’ participation in school education.

4.2.1 Current status of school enrolments in the study area

In the SNNPRS the enrollment in Preparatory Schools has exhibited an average annual
growth rate of 15.4% in the last five years. Amazingly, the growth of the female students is
faster than that of the male’s students as seen from their respective annual growth rate
(number of females has grown by 28% and males by 9.9%). The data which obtained from
the latest published Education Statistics Annual Abstract (2011/2012) are provided in
Table 1 as follows.

Table 1 Preparatory School Enrollment and Average Annual Growth Rate in the Last
Five Years in SNNPRS, 2000-2004 E.C

Preparatory (Grade 11-12)

Years Male Female Total

2000 19927 6918 26845

2001 22502 6602 29104

2002 25232 10536 35768

2003 15511 7070 22581

2004 29018 18544 47562

AAGR 9.9 28 15.4

Data source: SNNPRS Education Bureau (2012)
A close perusal of the above Table1 indicates that gender disparity in enrolment exists in
all levels of schooling. The gap is narrowed in secondary first cycle, and gets widened as
27
the school grade levels go up. In the case of Preparatory School level, which prepares them
for higher education in Universities and Colleges, the status showed 69.31% for boys and
30.69% for girls.

It is important to note that the enrolment status of males is more than that of females in the
Preparatory level education, and one cannot expect the successful graduation level would
be different in a desirable trend for females, but trend might be. In the other way, as
previous records reveal even though the Government makes serious efforts to ensure at
least 30% enrolment of female students in tertiary level education by means of Affirmative
Action Policy, the reduced female participation in secondary second cycle level becomes a
serious hurdle to fulfill that objective meaningfully. The data from the same Table also
imply that if the target of improving female participation in tertiary level has to be
achieved, serious efforts are needed to enhance participation, performance and retention of
females in secondary first and second cycle levels.

Table 2 Gender Parity Index of Preparatory School, 2000-2004 E.C

Years GPI of 11-12 GPI of 9-12

2000 0.34 0.47

2001 0.28 0.5

2002 0.41 0.59

2003 0.55 0.64

2004 0.63 0.68

Data source: SNNPRS Education Bureau (2012)

Table 2 given above, depicts the GPI of secondary education over the past five years’
period. For the whole secondary level (grade 9-12), Gender Parity Index (GPI) was 0.47 in
2000E.C. and reached 0.68 in 2004 E.C. This is an encouraging progress. However, since
this GPI is quite below 1, it still shows existence of large discrepancy between sexes with
males more advantaged than females
28
 4.3 Academic Performance in National Examination at Grade 12 in the Shinishich
Preparatory School
As indicated in the Table 3 below, which presents Grade 12 national examination results
for four consecutive years. It is based on the interest of the Female Students in getting
admission in higher educational institutions like Colleges and Universities in general.

Table 3 Performance of Female and Male Students Score in National Examination at

Grade 12 in the Shinishicho Preparatory School

2002 2003 2004 2005

Range of
Marks M % F % M % F % M % F % M % F %
Less than
250 14 5 19 17 26 10 13 7 8 4 10 6 14 10 17 16

251-300 16 6 66 59 35 14 46 26 42 22 70 38 19 13 14 14
22 16 10
301-400 0 76 14 13 4 65 3 57 121 65 97 54 89 60 53 52
401 and
above 38 13 12 11 27 11 18 10 16 9 4 2 25 17 18 18
28 11 25 18 10 10 10 10
Total 8 100 1 100 2 100 0 0 187 0 181 0 147 0 102 100
Source: Kacha Birra Education office (2014)

Above data clearly indicates that, the highest proportion of the female students have been
receiving scores above 250 marks (Typically for female the passing mark but it vary from
year to year) has also increased each year with the exception of 2005 EC. However, very
few proportions of female students were scored below the 250 marks. This suggests that
both the number of students and the quality of students may be increasing in Shinshicho
Preparatory School with the exception of 2005 EC. However, the majority female students’
one important fact that is contained in the table is the gender gap prevailing in achieving
high grades. A critical further analysis of Woreda Education Office data shows that the
proportional share of female students in National Examination consistently showed an
29
increasing trend. The share of female students who achieved 250 marks above when
compared to male students, was 23% (2002), 39% (2003), 46% (2004), and 34% (2005) in
that consistently increasing order with the exception of 2005EC declining. In the same
way, the proportions of the female students who score below 250 marks have been
decreased.

The majority of the female students score fall under the categories of the 250-300 marks
whereas male students above 301 marks. In similar manner, the participations of the
female students have been consistently increased from year to year with the exception of
2005EC declining. The share of the proportion of the female students in the study area for
grade 12 was 28% (2002), 42% (2003), 49% (2004), and 41% (2005) in that consistently
increasing order with the exception of 2005EC decreasing. These data is implied that the
gender disparity is wide for specified grade level in the school with the exception of
2004EC which showed almost equivalent with male students. Probably these achievements
are due to the gender sensitive educational policies and strategies of the Government of
Ethiopia, particularly during the last four years.

4.4 The Status of Academic Performance of the both Female and Male students in
grade 11th and 12th of Shinishicho Preparatory School
Under this section of the study, the academic performances of the both male and female
students have been discussed in detailed that based on the information presented in Table 4.
The academic performance of the dependent variable for this research is measured in
average pass mark/point of the students that help students to get promoted from grade to
next grade.

Table 4 Female and Male students Mark range in 1 st Semester in Grade 11th and 12th
of Shinshicho Preparatory School
30
 2006 1st Semester Rooster Result of Grade 11th and -12th

Grade 11 Grade 12
Mark Tota Tota
Range M % F % l % M % F % l %
Not
Passing (0-
49) 0 0 8 7 8 3 0 0 13 8 13 4
Satisfactor 10
y (50-64) 79 49 59 49 138 49 90 49 5 63 195 55
Good (65-
74) 67 42 45 38 112 40 77 42 46 28 123 35
Very Good
(75 and
above) 14 9 8 7 22 8 18 10 3 2 21 6
12 10 10 16 10
Total 160 100 0 100 280 0 185 0 7 0 352 100
Source: Kacha Birra Education Office (2014)

Above table indicated that, the academic performance of the male and female students in
the study school has seen by using their average pass mark for all subjects in 1 st Semester
of 2006 EC academic year. It is possible to conclude that a significant portion 7% and 8%
of female students in grade 11th and 12th respectively fall under the category of failing of
pass of average passing mark (typically 50) while male students not. The majority 49% and
63% female students in grade 11th and 12th respectively fall under the category of
Satisfactory whereas majority proportion of the male students found under the good and
very good of mark range. The numbers of female students’ decreases as their average pass
mark increasing from Satisfactory to Very Good average mark for both sexes. However,
the decreasing rate when their average pass mark increasing from Satisfactory to Very
Good average mark for female is greater than that of the male students in the same grade
level and same schools. Still male perform better achievements comparing with female
students in the study area. This implies that there is a gap between male and female
students in their academic performance. Gender disparities exist in academic participation
also observed which stand 0.43 and 0.47 for grade 11th and 12th respectively.

31
4.5. Personal Characteristics of female respondents
Sample populations of 125 female students were randomly selected out of 287 female
students in the Shinishicho Preparatory School. 125 respective sampled female students'
household head were interviewed. Generally, questionnaire was distributed to 250
respondents and collected 240.

The total sample populations of 125 female students were randomly selected out of 287
female students. Only 13(11%) of the respondents found under the age of 15 to 16 years
old, 102(85%) found under the age of 17 to 19 years old and 5(4%) of them fall 20 and
above years old. Overall results indicate that 85% of the female students range between
16-19 years in the school.

Table 5 Backgrounds Information of sampled female students

Number of
S. No. Items % of Respondent
Respondent
Female student Age
15 and below year 0 0.00
16 - 17 13 10.83
1
18-20 102 85.00
21 and above 5 4.17
Total 120 100.00
Place of residents
Urban 52 43.33
2
Rural 68 56.67
Total 120 100.00

It is apparent that most girls’ students have joined high school after the age of 16. This age
coincides with both the onset of puberty, increased relationship and with the increased
demand for the labour of household. Thus Educational policies which enable all children,
but particularly girls, to start primary school at a younger age, may allow a greater
percentage to complete primary education and to join high school.

Clearly above Table 5 indicated that 68(57%) of female students from rural area while
52(43%) from urban resident area. Significant numbers of female students travel from

32
remote area of the rural side which contributes for low academic achievements due to the
long traveling to less time given to study. There was significant difference between female
students’ from rural and urban backgrounds which indicates that urban students’
performance is better than rural students. The probable reasons might be more exposure to
career opportunities and many employed female role models available for urban female
students. Rural households will have more household chores such as taking care of small
animals and poultry, and helping in agricultural activities like weeding and post-harvest
handling, which are mainly attended by girls and women. Moreover, after returning from
the school, the female students are expected to help their mothers or undertake activities
like fetching water and firewood, cooking, taking care of younger children, washing
clothes, cleaning the house etc. This workload makes them tired, and unable to study or do
school assignments. Moreover, they don’t get time for it even if they wish to do so. Going
to school without doing assignments makes them inferior in the eyes of teachers,
demoralized, and ultimately become poor in academic performance.

Figure 4 Female sampled students filling Interview Schedule

4.6 Parental background of female academic achievement

In the current research study demands the parents who were responsible for the education
of their daughters were asked to express their background information. The total sampled
33
female students' household heads 120 were interviewed. The results indicate that the
majority of the household heads are male which stands 102(85%). The proportion of
female headed households is 18(15%).

Table 6 Backgrounds Information of female students’ household head

Number of
S. No Items % of Respondent
Respondent
Household head Age
35 and below 20 16.67
35 - 40 46 38.33
1 41-45 16 13.33
46 -50 32 26.67
51 and above 6 5.00
Total 120 100.00
Sex
Male 102 85.00
2 Female 18 15.00
Total 120 100.00
Marital status
Married 106 88.33
3 Single 8 6.67
Divorced 6 5.00
Widow/widower 0 0.00
Total 120 100.00
Religion
4
Muslim 0 0.00
34
 Protestant 96 80.00
Orthodox 8 6.67
Catholic 16 13.33
other 0 0.00
Total 120 100.00

The above table 6 indicated that the majority 96(80%) of the female students’ household
heads religion are protestant followed by Orthodox are 8(6.57%) and Catholic are
16(13.33%). This result might be due to the selection of the research settings in
predominantly Christian area but none of them area Muslims in the study area. The marital
status of the household head showed that the majority 106(88.33%) of them are married,
6.67 % are single which implies that the household head is elder brother or sister in the
given family. The remaining 5 % are divorced.

4.7. Family Factors

In this thematic, the family factors which affect the academic performance of the female
students were discussed in detailed. The predominately family factors, such as family
size, educational background of the household head and house hold chores. The brief
information with substantial evidence on these family variables is presented under here.

4.7.1 Educational Level of the Household Head

The research results indicated that the majority of household heads of the female students
have no education. It is obviously known that educated parents would perceive the need of
females’ education in a better way than those who are not educated. They would not know
an importance of education in daily life and to lead a better life. Educated parents might
also facilitate the girls’ learning at home and encourage in doing school homework.
Similarly, students who came from the educated parents those perform better than that of
from uneducated parents. The table 7 below shows the summary of findings.
Table 7 Educational level of the household heads

Educational level of the HHHs Number Percentage

Illiterate 12 10.00
Basic literacy (read and write) 40 33.33

35
 Primary Education 32 26.67
Secondary Education 10 8.33
TTI Certificate 4 3.33
Diploma 14 11.67
Degree and above 8 6.67
Total 120 100.00

Concerning the educational backgrounds of the household heads of the female students,
from the total respondents, the majority of 40(33.33 %) have basic education (read and
write) parents followed by 26.67% of household heads have completed primary education,
11.67% have diploma and 6.67% of the respondents have degree and above. 8.33% and
3.33% are Secondary Education completed and TTI certified respectively. Finally, 10 % of
the respondents are Illiterate. This finding displays that adults had little opportunity to go to
school in last decade. From this, we can conclude that significant percent of female
students' household head are uneducated. So that, parent’s education has an important
influence on females' performance in education due to they did not have an interest to send
their children to school and giving time and due consideration for the education special for
girl education.

During the focus group discussion conducted with non-sample female students revealed
that their parents’ education background was low. Due to this reason parental involvement
in education matter was poor. While some respondents asserted that their parents’ are
involved in their daughters’ education to some extent and give academic support to
perform well.

4.7.2 Family Size

The size of the family depicts that the numbers of children who live in the house whom
including extended family numbers. Parents were asked to indicate the total number of
family members. The following table summary of results indicates that the absolute
majority of parents have between 5 up to 7 children.

36
Table 8 Family Size of the Household Head
Family Size Number of Respondent Percentage
1-2 12 10.00
3-4 37 30.83
5-7 61 50.83
8-10 8 6.67
11 and above 2 1.67
Total 120 100.00

The above table indicates that the high proportion 60(50.83%) of the parents have between
5 and 7 children. Significant amounts 10(8.33%) of the respondent have 8 up to 11
children. According to Ethiopian standards such families can be considered large-sized
families, while those who are having 3 up to 4 children would be considered medium-size
families, those who are having 1-2 children would be considered small-size families.
Regarding medium and small size families’ the parents could afford education for their
female children even if low income earned. In similar manner the large size families facing
serious challenges to support their daughters with many hardships. The cost of education
materials such as stationeries, school uniform and other supplementary items are too
expensive for low income families. In such situation, when it comes to choice in poor
families preferably send their boys to give more priority instead of girls, because the boys
are expected to be the future of bread winner and also boys can generate cash to cover their
school expenses etc.

4.7.3 Household Chores

The burden of household chores was one important factor that affects the girls in most of
the houses in the study area. Having returned from school, they are expected to help their
mothers or undertake activities like fetching water and firewood, cooking, taking care of
younger children, washing clothes, cleaning the house etc. This workload makes them
tired, and unable to concentrate to complete school assignments. Moreover, they don’t get
37
time for it, even if they wish to do so. Going to school without doing assignments makes
them inferior in the eyes of teachers, demoralized, and ultimately become poor in
performance. The general belief in the country, that a girl is supposed to do all household
activities when she gets married and thus the training for that in childhood is more
important than school learning, might be the reason for this compulsion, even if her labor is
not essential in some houses. The following table 9 shows the household work of the
female students.
Table 9 Household Chores of the female students
S. Whole Week Some days Few days
No Household Chores
No. % No. % No. %
.
1 Fetching water 62 51.67 50 41.67 8 6.67
2 Collecting fuel wood 6 5.00 45 37.50 43 35.83

3 Cooking meals 82 68.33 30 25.00 8 6.67

4 Caring for siblings 12 10.00 17 14.17 24 20.00

5 Washing cloths 52 43.33 56 54.17 12 10.00

6 Marketing 24 20.00 68 56.67 28 23.33

7 Cleaning rooms 96 80.00 21 17.50 3 2.50

8 Farming 3 2.50 17 14.17 25 20.83

9 Cattle herding 11 9.17 22 18.33 21 17.50

10 Any Others - - - - - -

The above table 9 clear reveled that going to the farming, collecting wood, cattle herding,
caring siblings were rated at a low level. The highest proportion of girls participates in
domestic work like cleaning rooms 80%, cooking meals 68.33% fetching water 51.67%
and washing cloths 43.33 % for the Whole week. Going to market, washing clothes, and
fetching water are on Some days girls spent in a week but not regular activities. Some
activities are like Cleaning rooms, Cooking meals, Fetching water, Washing clothes,
Marketing, Caring for siblings, Cattle herding, Collecting fuel wood and Farming are in
Few days which employs female labour. The fact that domestic work takes most of the time
38
available for female students should be analyzed from cultural perspectives. In the study
area domestic work is believed to be the role of the females and girls are brought up to
accept these roles. In addition to this, the lack of basic services like access to pure water,
energy sources, etc. contribute to this problem due to the fact that much time is spent on
these domestic activities.

In order to cross check the above information, views from female less academic
performance were also analyzed with domestic work defined to include Cleaning rooms,
Cooking meals, Fetching water, Washing cloths and care of siblings etc. Overall results for
the study area suggest that domestic work is the one of the most important activities that
dominates their time throughout the whole week.

Figure 5 Female students doing household work after her class hours

4.8 Economic Factors

Female students’ academic performance has been found to have link with socio-economic
condition of the family. It is one of the factors that can affect parent's decision to send their
girls to school or not. In this section, economic factors which affect the academic
performance of the female students were discussed in detailed. Under here, briefly
discussed and presented economic factors are Household Income, Land Holding, School
Costs and Parental Needs of Labour.

39
4.8.1 Household Income
Household income is as an indicator of socio-economic status of a family. It is a problem
in the family that leads to interruption of the education of female children, since many of
the parents believe that investments for the education of a girl is a waste of financial
resources, since she is going to be a member of another family after marriage. Hence, the
trend is to send boys to schools if resources are limited, since they can help the parents in
future life. Moreover, the feeling is that the girls are to be trained to lead the family life by
being a good wife and mother and to avoid conflicts in the future, and hence, to be
confined to home to learn household activities better. It is noteworthy that once the female
children realize that these options may help to make income to survive; they lose interest in
school learning, and try to see options for making the present work successful. In addition
to this, parents were asked to describe their economic conditions during Focus Group
Discussions. Overall results indicate that most of these families have low economic status
even by Ethiopian standards. Tables 10 below as well as expressions taken from discussion
to explain these findings.

Table 10 Households Annual Income

Household Income Number Percentage

< 5000 56 46.67
5001-6000 28 23.33
6001-7000 20 16.67
7001-8000 10 8.33
>8000 6 5.00
Total 120 100.00

Parental income as an indicator of socio- economic status of a family has been measured by
asking parents’ the total annual income. Accordingly, the above table 10 clearly indicates
that the majority 56 (46.67%) of the household heads earn annual income less than 5000
Birr followed by the households’ heads 23.33 % of have their income range from 5001 to
6000. In similar manner 16.67% of the household heads earn the range from 6001 to 7000,
8.33 % the respondents have the range from 7001 to 8000 and the reaming 5 % of the

40
household heads earn the annual base income greater than 8000 birr. It is clearly concluded
that, the majority of the household heads have less than 5000 Birr which may not be able to
afford their female education expenditure while the very small proportion 5% of the
household heads have greater than 8000 Birr income per year.

The parents were also asked to describe their economic conditions during Focus Group
Discussions. Overall results indicate that most of these families have low economic status.
This implies that, female students from the poorest families do not want to go to school
especially in the high school level these mainly due to inability to pay the education costs
and their good dressing. In this regard, a significant number of female students forced to
drop out their education and they prefer to depart Arabe countries and South Africa from
high school age level for changing their own and their families’ living standard.

This response gathered from non-sample female student said: “My parents who have eight
children, I am one of them; they want to send them to school. However, they are unable to
afford for all of the children because of the high direct and indirect cost of schooling. I am
lucky getting the chance and to continue the preparatory level education. If I have the
chance passing in the National Exam of 12th grade, my parents will be reluctant to extend
the University level education due to lack of enough money. My families facilitate to go
South Africa and I will marry rather than I continued University level education”.

Further she stated as “I have a desire to continue but how I could cover the cost of
schooling? The possibility of sending me to school more likely relied on my parents’
income and their willing. I am thinking to cover the cost of schooling rather thinking for
academic success. Last year, I have faced many problems in this regard because my parents
are very poor and I have no money. Now, most of the graduates’ students in my neighbor
are unemployed. Even, I will graduate I do not think I will get job easily. I didn’t see bright
future. Getting job is not easy in the country, and the problem is intensive especially for
girls”.

41
Other female student interviewee stated that parents’ assumption towards female education
relied on perception of the status of women in the community and gender roles. They
assumed as females are educated to master the household duties and responsibilities, and
obedient wife. Boys are educated to involve men role in the community and functioning in
farming and, if opportunities avail for administrations which are culturally reserved only
for men. Therefore, parents are inclined to support and have a desire to involve in the
education of sons and be reluctant to invest the financial resources on females’ education.
This indicated that financial problem can affect the participation and performance of
female students as well as academic achievements of female students’. In this regard
parental support may be a decisive factor for participation and academic achievement.

4.8.2 Landholding Status

In the study area, the source of household income are generating from farming in the rural
sides. Farming is the major economic activities in the study area and majority of the
population depend up on fragmented land holdings. The smallholder traditional farming
system ensures very low income from their farm land. The following table 11 depicts that
the estimated annual income of the household head from landholding.

Table 11 Land Holding Status of the Household heads

Size of land Holding Number Percentage

<0.5 ha 61 61.62
0.6 -1 ha 26 26.26
1.1 - 1.5 ha 7 7.07
1.6-2 ha 3 3.03
>2 2 2.02
Total 99 100.00

From the 120 respondents of households’ heads 99 (82.50%) of the respondents were
completely depended up on the farming of their own plots of lands. The above table clearly
picture out that the majority 61.62 % of the households’ heads have land size is less than
0.5 hectare followed by 26 % of the respondent have the range from 0.6 to 1heactor of land
42
size in the study area. 7.07% and 3.03% of the respondents have 1.1 to 1.5 and 1.6 to 2
hectare respectively. The rest of them have 2.02 % greater than 2 hectors those living area
is very remote peripheral area of the kebeles. It can be concluded that the majority of the
household heads are smallholder farmers have limited production and productivity which
resulted from fragmented and most of places eroded land. The productivity is very minimal
and insufficient which not enough for household consumption.

In the FGD, one of respondents gave about themselves are very much illustrative of their
living conditions and said the following. “If you see our living standard you can understand
from our face that we live at the lowest level. I do not know what others will tell about their
general incomes, but I do not earn how much per months. The question then is how to
cover school materials for our children, to bring them to a clinic when they are ill, to
properly feed them and so on.

Another parent stated that “I do petty business of all types for a living. Under normal
circumstances this is a low-income job, but nowadays it is worse because we find no
market for our products. Due to this, we are not only able to meet school costs or demands
for our children, but instead we force them to stay at home with us”. This finding is very
much consistent with previous reports, which showed that most parents whose daughters
less academic performance in the school have low income generating occupations in the
study area.

4.8.3 School Costs

Direct and indirect school costs include the expenditure on stationery, school uniform,
school fee, transportation and cost of accommodation which consists of house rent, food
and other utilities due to long distance traveling and staying in urban center students. The
parents of the female students have to meet the expected expenditures when they join in the
Preparatory School which contributed to sustain their education. In this regard, the female
students’ household heads were asked to respond in the school cost in the three categories.
The overall response indicated that the schooling cost of the female students were fall

43
under the categories of High. The following table summary shows the schooling costs of
the household response

Table 12 Relation of Schooling Cost

Schooling Cost
Categories Number Percentage
High 64 53.33
Medium 36 30.00
Low 20 16.67
Total 120 100.00

Table 12 indicates that the very small amount 16.67 % of the household heads said that
school and other related costs were not such a problems that would affect the performance
of their daughters. These household heads were from urban dwellers whose income source
from salary and merchants of ‘coffee’ and ‘ginger’ which are known as cash crops in the
study area in some kebeles not whole kebeles of the same district due to various agro-
ecological zone which found in the woreda of Kacha Birra.

The highest proportion 64 (53.33%) of the respondents of the female students household
heads perceived schooling cost for their daughter have high level and followed by 30.00%
of them have medium level perceived cost of education affected the performance of their
daughter as could not provide necessary provision in time to buy things like uniform,
stationary and affording accommodation costs especially for transportation and cost of
accommodation which consists of house rent, food and other utilities for that long distance
traveling and staying in urban center students. This shows that house rent, food supply cost
and stationery or material cost are the major reasons that made parents not send their
children to school, particularly girls. This conforms to Alemayehu Bogale (2003) finding
which says that when the expected return to sending daughters to school do not exceed the
cost of doing so, female education as an investment becomes unattractive to parents.
Daughters will then be educated only to the extent that parents are willing to accept low
economic returns. Thus, sending girls to school with fulfilling all entails direct and
44
opportunity costs are prohibitive to families’, particularly poor families in rural areas. The
reasons due to the low income of the families, which makes it difficult to cover these costs.

The School costs are influencing the academic performance of female students in different
manners. Both parents and female students were asked to mention the costs play a role in
female students’ academic performance. Results from parental ratings are summarized in
Table 13
Table 13 Types School Costs which influencing Female Academic performance
S. Category of High Medium Low Total
No. School Costs No. % No. % No. %
Costs of
1 0 0 0 0 0
textbooks 0 0
Costs of
2 98 82 12 10 10
uniforms 8 120
Costs of
3 educational 76 63 32 27 12
Materials 10 120
Costs of
4 0 0 68
transportation 100 68
Cost of
5 56 82 12 18 0
accommodation 68

From the above Table 13 it is clear that among the direct school costs considered, the costs
of school uniforms, the cost of school materials like the purchase of pencils, pens, exercise
books, reference materials and kits are the costs that strongly influence parents to decide
upon the discontinuation of their daughter’s education. The highest proportion (81.67 %) of
the respondents rated that Costs of uniforms have high. Similarly, 82.35 percent of the
respondents who resides in rural sides replied that living house rent and food supply cost,
among others, highly affect the females’ performance in education. This is because most
female students in this woreda live outside their families to learn their Preparatory School.
Thus, they spend money for house rent and food supply. Other costs like stationery or
material cost, book rent, schooling fees have less influence in females' education. In
addition to the above-mentioned economic factors, students and their household head were

45
asked if there were others factors. The states that currently, mobile phone apparatus is one
of the necessities which needy for high school female students demand. The female
household heads indicated that Preparatory School level students demanding to purchase
mobile apparatus that is unaffordable for rural poor households.

Finally, regarding the financial constraints, girls are more likely than boys to be held back
or be withdrawn from school. Literature suggests that girls from better off homes, who live
in urban areas, are more likely to enroll and remain in school for longer than those from
poorer homes and rural areas. The inability of some girls to meet the demand for uniforms,
educational materials, accommodation, and mobile apparatus forces them not only to be
absent from schools, but also to get less marks and finally to discontinue their education.
So that, it suggests that cost of uniforms, educational materials, accommodation, and
mobile apparatus could be the other main factors that affect the girls’ education finally.

4.8.4 Parental Needs of Labour

Parents were asked whether or not sending their daughters to school exposes them to
indirect costs or shortage of labour at home, and if so to what extent the demand for labour
causes their daughters to low academic performance. The majority 108 (90.00%) of the
respondents of the female students’ parents indicated that their daughter who attends school
engaged outside of the school hours in the household work. The rating of parents is
summarized in the following table

Table 14 Type of Household Activities that Parent need of the female students

Types of Yes No
S.
Household
No. Total
Chores No. % No. %

1 Fetching water 82 68.33 38 31.67 120

46
 2 Cooking 104 86.67 16 13.33 120

3 Washing 108 90.00 12 10.00 120

4 Marketing 84 70.00 36 30.00 120

5 Agricultural labour 30 25.00 90 75.00 120

The parents were asked a types of household chores in which females are engaged in more.
The majority of respondents replied that females are engaged in work like cooking
(86.67%), washing (90%), marketing (70%) and fetching water (68.33%) outside their
School hours. Because of the above reasons parents are interested in engaging their
daughters in doing home activates rather than sending them to schools. The perception of
the benefit is that educating the daughters is less important than they benefit from what the
girls do in the household. So the above facts show that poor parents often invest less on
their daughters’ education. This goes in conformity with the result obtained by Kassa
(2006).

All of the Focus Group Discussion members of female students’ parents affirmed that
females are more engaged in household activities. This shows that females are important
for domestic or household work and by doing this they reduce the families' expense that
can be paid for the maidservants. Girls in research area and in fact in almost everywhere in
rural areas work more than boys, regardless of whether they are in school, and whether
adult women are present and working in the household or not. They also revealed that
many girls are working after school hours in cafeterias, as house maids, or even in bar and
restaurants to earn some money to meet living expenses and school costs. This reduces
their time for learning at home and focusing attention to learning related activities which
contributes girls’ poor academic performance.

This is also substantiated by the interview held with the students. From all the given
responses household responsibility and parents need female labor are likely to reflect a

47
common underlying reason for girl’s low academic performance. One girl from grade 11 th
asserted this by saying '' I enjoyed going to school, but I cannot attend regularly because, I
am ordered to assist mother at home. My parents do not allow me to go to school before I
complete my household activities .In doing so I am always absent. Thus due to such heavy
workload at home, I am absent from school or miss my class."

The other female students states that “They were pleased during the time they are being in
the school, however, most of the time they are dictated to stay at home because their
parents were given assignment to help them in domestic works. Their parents did not allow
going to school before they finish the daily household activities. Until they complete the
assignment they stayed at home and they missed the class”.

Figure 6 Grade 11th student Selling Banana in the market

4.9 Psychological Factors

The psychological factors that affect the academic participation of the female students to
some extent are possible. It is related to cultural beliefs, customs, practices, insecurity,
girls’ expectations and other traditions play a significant role in the academic performance
of the female students. Such variables self-esteem, Parents Attitude, Teachers Attitude, and

48
 Community Attitude towards to Female Students are described with supportive evidence in
detailed as follow.

4.9.1 Self Esteem of the Female Students

Self-esteem of the female student is an internal motivation of the students to attain their
ambition to achieve the goal through performing better in education. Girls’ own perception
about their education and need for good academic performance was another influencing
factor. If they do not realize the importance of education and career prospects or better life
chances, and limit the aspiration to be wives and mothers, naturally, it will adversely affect
the desire to perform well in schools. This type of lower perception about the importance of
education is more observed in female students from rural areas, since they have less
opportunity to realize career prospects and do not have female role models for motivation
to learn and perform well. Results are summarized below

Table 15 Self-esteem of female students towards their education

Strongly Strongly
Agree Neutral Disagree
Self-esteem towards Agree disagree
S. No. % No. % No % No. % No. %
Female Education
No.

1 Both boys and girls are 94 78.33 21 17.50 2 1.67 0 0.00 3 2.50

49
 equal in education
Girls are not capable for
2 17 14.17 16 13.33 6 5.00 53 44.17 28 23.33
school education
I can score in an exam more
3 than other students (both 88 73.33 22 18.33 4 3.33 6 5.00 0 0.00
male and female.
Education is not of great
value to females as they
4 17 14.17 13 10.83 6 5.00 36 30.00 48 40.00
marry and go with their
husbands
I will hold good position the
5 106 88.33 6 5.00 2 1.67 2 1.67 4 3.33
future through education
Girls are more for HH work
6 rather go for school 52 43.33 34 28.33 6 5.00 15 12.50 13 10.83
education

Above Table 15 indicates that the majority 78.33% of female student respondents strongly
agree with that both boys and girls are equal in education following that 17.50% of them
agreed whereas a few 2.5% of them strongly disagree. In similar manner, a highest
proportion (73.33%) of the female student respondents strongly agree with that I can score
in an exam more than other students (both male and female) followed by 18.33% of them
are agreed whereas a few 5% of them are disagreed. It is possible to say that, even though
the different expectation and the wrong premises of viewing girls as intellectually inferior,
there has been evident to suggest that cultural barriers and attitudes against women are now
days seem to be changed.

In regarding to futurity, the majority 88.33 % of female student respondents strongly agree
with that, I will hold good position in the future through education. As observed from the
above result that the highest proportion of the female students have high self-esteem for
their education which implies that there is promising progress and improvement towards
female education which ensure the gender equality.

50
4.9.2 Parents Attitude towards Female Education
Parents may not always have the understanding and background to support their children's
education throughout their schooling. Parents’ level of education and awareness about the
importance of education has a complex impact on female education. Moreover, the status
of parents' income and the type of help provided at home are also important to send and
support their daughter education. Parental attitude towards girls’ education is a
significantly influencing factor for academic performance of the female students. If parents
do not recognize the need for education of their daughters, they would not encourage the
girls to attend schools and learn well. Results are summarized below

Table 16 Parents Attitude towards Female Education

Strongly Strongly Tot
Agree Neutral Disagree
S. Parents Attitude Agree disagree al
No towards Female No % No. % No % No % No %
. . . .
. Education

Female education is
important for the
1 31 25.83 32 26.67 7 5.83 33 27.50 17 14.17 120
development of the
society
51
 Boys and girls are
equally intelligent
2 14 11.67 33 27.50 9 7.50 44 36.67 20 16.67 120
and can perform
equally
Girl education
guarantees more
3 14 11.67 24 20.00 3 2.50 51 42.50 28 23.33 120
secure family and
old age support
Education makes
girls more
4 26 21.67 32 26.67 6 5.00 41 34.17 15 12.50 120
understanding and
self-confident.
Educating girl
5 means educating a 21 17.50 31 25.83 2 1.67 45 37.50 21 17.50 120
nation

As shown in above Table16 the highest 33(27.50%) of the female household heads of
respondents disagreed with female education is important for the development of the
society because, due to marriage, educated females become part of another family. During
Focus Group Discussion some female students' parents said "we don’t want to educate our
daughters equal with male. We give priority to our sons". They reason out that investment
in females’ education was wastage because of the marriage. This attitude can affect the
participation of the females in education. On the other hand, 25.83% and 26.67% percent of
the respondents strongly agreed and agreed respectively towards Female education is
important for the development of the society. A considerable amount of parents understand
and positive attitudes about female education are important for the development of the
society, boys and girls are equally intelligent and can perform equally, education makes
girls more understanding and self-confident and educating girl means educating a nation
even if highest proportion of the respondents disagreed.

52
 Table 17 Parents Attitude towards Female Education

Strongly Strongly
Agree Neutral Disagree Total
Agree disagree
S. Attitude towards
No. Female Education

No % No % No % No % No %

Girls are born to do

household work and 13.3
1 9 7.50 16 13 10.83 31 25.83 51 42.50 120
serving men rather 3
get educated
53
 Girl’s natural duty
11.6
2 is getting married 6 5.00 14 11 9.17 61 50.83 28 23.33 120
7
and bearing children
Education makes
10.0 19.1
3 girls disobedient, 12 23 4 3.33 28 23.33 53 44.17 120
0 7
arrogant and proud
Due to the cost
aspects, they want
4 3 2.50 9 7.50 14 11.67 59 49.17 35 29.17 120
to promote son only
but not daughter
Due to after
13.3
5 marriage, girls will 10 8.33 16 8 6.67 54 50.83 32 23.33 120
3
go husband's house.

As indicated in above Table 17, a significant amount of the parents think against girls’
education, since the general notion is that an educated girl might violate social norms and
deviate from accepted traditional styles of life. In addition, girls do not possess a desire to
get educated, particularly in rural areas, may be due to lack of role models, and smaller
horizons of aspirations created by patriarchy, which, in turn, affects their achievement
motivation to perform well in academics. As seen in the above Table, parental attitude
towards girls’ education is a significantly influencing the factor for academic performance
of the female students. If parents do not recognize the need for education of their
daughters, they would not encourage the girls to attend schools and learn well. However,
this result implies that also there has been observed the progress and improvement on the
negative attitude towards female education

One of the key informants (from Doreba Kebele) openly said: I will give priority to boys.
A boy can complete his education. As a man he will be engaged out of the household, he
would be employed and bring benefits. Girls would not reach the expected level, they quit
schooling and marry.
Another key informant, a middle aged father (from Messana Kebele) explained why he
didn't prefer his daughters for learning said ''I am interested in educating my children

54
because they will support me when I get old and weak. I enrolled two of my daughters in
school. I was able to support their education. I bought everything what is necessary for
their education. One of the girls married without my consent before completing preparatory
school in grade 11th. The other one went to South Africa and also married from 9 th grade.
To my surprise and contrary to my expectations, the older daughter decided to marry while
she was attending grade 11th. I asked her not to marry and interrupt her education but she
refused. She was very active and cleaver students in primary school but she did not succeed
in her education. She is now here in the villages and become the mother of two children”.

4.9.3 Teachers Attitude towards Female Education

Attitudes of the teacher towards female academic performance were one of the factors
which affected the female students’ academic performance. It has negative and positive
impact on the female students’ academic performance. The following table of summary
indicates that the teacher attitude towards female education.

Table 18 Teacher Attitude towards Female Education

Teacher Attitude Number Percentage
Encouraging 101 84
Discouraging 16 13
I do not know 3 3
Total 120 100

The result of the above table showed that, the highest proportion 84% of the female
students reported that teacher have encouraging attitude towards female academic
performance whereas a few proportion 13% of the female students reported that teacher
have discouraging attitude towards female academic performance. The finding implies that
the majority of the teacher have encouraging attitude towards female student academic
performance in Kacha Birra Preparatory school.

55
The non-sample male and female students who participated in FGD also asserted that
attitude of teachers towards girls’ education including motivation and commitment to
support the female students to improve the academic achievement. Further, they stated
there were provisions of special class or tutorial arrangement for girls’ to inspire and the
females to achieve more. Thus, the academic performance of the female students has been
improved from time to time. Similarly during the Focus Group Discussion with female
students' parents, they affirmed that school principals and teachers give special support to
their daughters’ education through organizing tutorial class. This may go against the result
obtained by various previous researches which indicated in literature review parts.

However, some teachers have discouraged attitude towards female education which
reflected in different form with in class room, outside of the class room and school
compounds which affect girls’ performance and achievements. Another FGD which
organized with grade 11th male and female students also confirmed this result which
indicates a very few teachers discouraging females through using verbal abuse, electronic
message through mobile insults etc. There are also a cases where boys openly harassing
girls alleging sexual relations with teachers. For these reasons, girls do not aspire to ask for
clarifications from teachers. In addition to that, the submissive nature of the girls, resulting
from patriarchal norms of society, makes them to be silent and passive in schools.

Figure 7 The female students attending tutorial class

56
4.9.4 Community Attitude towards Female Education
The sampled female students were asked to indicate the community attitude towards their
education. The results indicated that, the community attitudes towards female students’
education were very similar to that of the parent attitude in the study area. The overall of
the female student respondents report revealed that the communities have negative and
discouraging attitudes towards female education.
Table 19 Community Attitude towards Female Education

Community Attitude Number Percentage

Positive and Encouraging 52 43

Negative and Discouraging 61 51

I do not know 7 6

Total 120 100

The above table showed that, the highest proportion 51% of the female students reported
that community have discouraging attitude towards female academic performance whereas
a significant proportion 43% of the female students reported that community have
positive and encouraging attitude towards female academic performance. The finding
implies that the majority of the community have negative and discouraging attitude towards
female student academic performance in Kacha Birra woreda.

The negative stereotypes still has been existed in the rural area towards bad attitudes of the
female education. This is substantiated by Focus Group Discussion held with female and
male students they stated that in the most of the rural area parents cannot see boys and girls
on equal position. Boys are very important than girls. In the absence of father, a boy will
take care of the family because boys are physically strong. Even if, a woman can manage a
household, she cannot do as good as man. Any courage and support were provided for boys
only. No equal time allocation for studying boys and girls at home. Boys have enough time
for studying but females have not. Parents demanded females for domestic work rather than
encouraging them for studying, doing assignment, homework and other educational
activities etc.

57
4.10 School Factors
School environments are one of the factors which highly determined the success of the
female education program. It can be influenced the effectiveness of teaching and learning
process. The learning environment, distance to school, model female teachers and sexual
harassments are school related factors which affect the female students academic
performance to some extent.

4.10.1 School to home distance

School to home distance is another serious constraint for girls, and even reported by almost
all retrospective research studies in the country. All of the secondary level, especially
Preparatory Schools are located in towns, or generally far away from rural households, and
this seriously affects the girls, who have to complete a lot of household chores before going
to schools. Therefore, the long distance determines the girls often have to travel to access
school is also a limiting to their participation and achievement in school, particularly in
rural areas. The female students were asked to indicate about the distance of school to their
own home in the research study. Overall result indicated that the Preparatory School which
found in the Shinshicho town only and it is far away from the rural household dweller
which has a considerable negative impact on the rural female students’ educational
performance. The following table below shows the overall the results

Table 20 School to home distance

Distance in KM Number Percentage
<1 27 23
1-3 24 20
3-5 36 30
>5 33 28
Total 120 100

The above Table 20 results indicated that the majority 58% of the female respondents
reported that they walking distance from their own home to Preparatory School are above 3
km. 23% and 20% of the respondents home to preparatory school distance found in the
less than 1 km and 1- 3 Km respectively.

58
It is found that the FGDs was conducted with non-sample respondents of the teachers and
school administrators that the average walking distance to Secondary schools is about 3-7
kms, and girls often reach schools late. Due to this distance of school from home, (48%) of
the female respondents reported that they have faced accessibility problem. The types of
problems were identified by in the following Table 21 by 55(46%) respondents who are
faced due to the distance of school from their home.

Table 21 Type of Problem due to Distance of School from home

Type of Problem due to Distance of
Number Percentage
School from home
Shortage of money to pay for food and
house rent 24 44
Parents are unwilling to send their
daughters to distant schools 10 18
School drop out 11 20
Sexual harassment 10 18
Total 55 100

It is clearly observed that the highest 44% proportion of the respondents reported that due
to the Distance of School to home the female students have faced shortage of money to pay
for food and house rent, followed by 20% them stated that they have faced School dropout
and the remaining 36% equally shared problem which faced students were Sexual
harassment and Parents are unwilling to send their daughters to distant schools. It is
inferred that there is a serious accessibility problems which have faced female students due
to the distance of the School from home. These problems are adversely affected the
academic performance of the female students in the study area.

Moreover, this situation affects the safety on the way, when they try to walk alone. Many
times, teachers, mostly males, punish the girls for late coming by not admitting them into
59
the class and the security guards took advantage by keeping them outside by closing the
gate. This practice has led them to risks in physical safety, as the girls don’t wish to return
home alone immediately and try to spend time outside to wait for their friends. The delayed
back travel leads to concerns to parents, and delay in attending household work.
Ultimately, the possibility of dropping out becomes high.

Other Focus Group Discussion with females’ students' parents indicated that the reasons to
hold back their daughters from school were expressed to be that girls are weaker than boys
and unable to walk long distance, fear of forced male harassment during the long travel to
school.

Another impact of the long distance which rose with non-sample Female students in FGD
is that the girls have no chance to attend the tutorials mostly arranged in the weekends,
since the parents might doubt about attending the weekend classes, and usually disallow
them to go for safety purpose.

One of the Grade 11th students in the interview told me that “last year we took our second
semester exams and received our marks. I found my English subject mark was not correct it
was less than I had scored, so I asked the teacher to correct it. He told me to bring the exam
paper to his office. I took it, but instead of correcting my mark he asked me to have sexual
interaction. He told me that unless I agree with his demand, he couldn't correct the mark.”

60
Figure 8 Closed the school gate for late comer students from the remote area

4.10.2 Sexual Harassments

Sexual harassment from male students and teachers takes place in most of the schools. It is
the disturbance created by opposite sex to the female students which affect them
psychologically. The existence of sexual harassment on the female students badly affects
their academic performance. The following table showed the sexual harassment in the
study area.
Table 22 Sexual Harassment of the female students

Number Percentage
Sexual Harassment
Yes 32 27
No 88 73
Total 120 100

The above Table 22 showed that the majority 73% of the female students’ respondents
replied that there is no sexual harassment in the Shinshicho Preparatory schools. However,
27% of the female students’ respondents reported that the existence of Sexual harassment
in the school. It is taken place by opposite sex of both male students and male teachers. It is
included in verbal or physical harassments. These actions may be taken place through using
mobile phone camera and printed enlarged copies and displayed them in different public
places including her home premises. In addition to these using offensive sexual languages,
61
asking telephone number, coming up to the school and forcing for talk are some of the
form of sexual harassment occurrence on the female students.

FGD was organized with non-sample female students clearly expressed that the male
teachers might consider this as an ‘honor’ to use the opportunity and it results in serious
consequences in the whole scenario of females’ education. Moreover, they try to punish the
girls, who refuse to satisfy the male teachers’ sexual needs when they express the demand
for it in the form of reducing the exam mark and putting zero mark etc.

Some of the girls’ during FGDs reported that if the girl denies invitations from boys or
male teachers for sexual relations, she might be punished by being beaten or insult by boys,
reducing marks or failing in examinations by teachers. Due to this, most of the girls
become subjected to exploitations. It was reported that most of the school administrations
are insensitive to such issues or complaints, and hence the victims do not dare to complain
for fear of the future consequences. There are cases where male teachers seek love affairs
with their female students and deceive them with giving high mark in the examination.
Similarly, lack of separate toilets also substantially contributes to sexual harassments. They
also indicated that some boys try to enter into the toilet along with the girl when she tries to
go inside. Some girls prefer never to visit the school toilets, even if they want, for fear of
sexual assaults. Due to these acts female students missing classes and forced to absence
during their menstruation period.

4.10.3 Learning environment

The learning environment is also one of the school actors which affect female students’
academic performance in the school compound. These learning environments include
classrooms, instructional materials, text books, gender sensitive facilities (toilet, sanitation
and hygiene etc.) and school laboratory. The summary of finding stated below table.

Table 23 School environment for female students

High Medium Low Total
School environment No. % No. % No. %

Inadequacy of class rooms 30 25 54 45 36 30 120

62
Shortage of instructional
32 27 62 52 26 22 120
materials
Lack of textbooks 21 18 54 45 45 38 120
Lack of gender sensitive
facilities (toilet, sanitation and 27 23 41 34 52 43 120
hygienic…
Inadequacy of school library 33 28 61 51 26 22 120

The results from the findings are summarized above table obvious indicates that, the
highest proportion of female students rate the lack of instructional materials (52%), lack of
text books (45%), shortage of classrooms (45%), lack of gender sensitive facilities (34%)
and inadequacy of the school library (51%) as medium in the Shinshicho preparatory
school. What is interesting from the above findings is that in all items of aforementioned
the respondents’ reports portrayed that similar portion of amount rated under the categories
of highly affecting the females’ education the school.

The FGD was conducted with non-sample teachers indicated that, lack enough text books,
chairs, laboratory facilities, clean water supply, and class rooms that adversely affect the
girls more than boys. Regarding to text book not all students gets text books for individual
use, and hence they cannot study at home. Girls complained that lack of supply of clean
water and rest rooms make them absent during menstrual periods and there is no proper
fencing or compound wall with security. These problems directly contributed for reducing
the female student performance in education.

63
Figure 9 Female students Toilet without maintenance in Shinishicho Preparatory
School

4.10.4 Female Teacher as a Role Model

It is one of the decisive school factors which significantly affect the female students’
academic performance. Some of the girls, particularly those coming from rural areas, do
not realize the purpose of their learning in schools, due to lack of view of the benefits. In
female students interview schedule were asked if they have known any successful role
models for girls in their communities. Responses are summarized in the below Table

Table 24 Female Teacher as a Role Model

Role model female teacher in
Number Percentage
their village
Yes 88 73
No 32 27
Total 120 100

It seems that 73% of females know some girls who succeeded in their education whereas
27% of the respondent of female students did not know any girls who succeeded in their
education in the respondents’ village even if a few number of teacher existed in Preparatory
level school as role model teacher.

64
The FGD was conducted with non-sample female and male teachers indicated that, there is
shortages of role model female teachers in the Shinshicho preparatory school i.e means
only two female teacher were found. The lack of role model fails to convince them the
awaiting status and opportunities. Shortage of female teachers or successful cases around
adds to this scarcity. Other FGDs organized with non-sample female and male students
indicated that if interaction sessions are arranged with nearby University girls’ clubs, it
would be a remedy for the issue. This is more relevant in the context of having University
campuses in almost all parts of the country. These contribute to prompt female academic
performance.

4.11 Summary of the Qualitative Data Analysis

The FGD was conducted with non-sampled male and female students, school teachers,
School administrators and education officials’ summarized below briefly which contributes
for triangulation of quantitative survey data result compared with qualitative data in the
researchers focused on the thematic area. Accordingly, one Focused Group Discussion was
held with 8 female and male teachers, one focused group discussion was held with 8
School administrators and education office officials, two focused group discussion were
held with male and female students which included 16 individual. Additionally, the
researcher used 2 elders (‘Shemagele’) female student parents and 3 the most remote area
Grade 11th and 12th female students’ in-depth interviews. Accordingly, a total of 37 Non
sample respondents were addressed in different thematic with considering of their groups
homogeneity and heterogeneity. All non-sampled female and male students’ student
participants (16) were at the age between 17- 20 years. The level of education for 8
teachers and for 8 School administers and education office officials were BA degree
holders and above. They had long work experience.

FGD with Non-Sample Male and Female Student

The discussions were figure out that; the majority of the female student respondents’ stated
that their parents’ education background was low. Due to this reason parental involvement
in education matter was poor especially for rural dwellers household. While some
respondents asserted that; to some extent their parents’ are involved in their daughters’
education matter and give academic support to perform well. As shown in the schools
65
attendance sheets absenteeism is one of the main problems of the female students’ in the
schools were visited. To be successful, students should attend schools consistently because
high chance to obtain new insights from the classroom activities and the daily lesson
acquiring knowledge. Due to heave domestic work and to help their parents, school girl
experiences absenteeism.

FDG with Non-Sample Male and Female Teachers

The Teacher FGD indicted that girls’ class participation as passive in spite of very few
outstanding female students. Male students were much better than female students in
actively participating in the class and comprehending the lesson and achieve better grade
point average. During the lecture time, male students had notes while females did not pay
enough attention. As stated by teachers the reason might be lack of time to study at home,
doing homework properly due to heavy domestic work load and lack of adequate support
either from their families as well as schools. There are traditional assumptions that women
do not work better than males and they are weaker in either physical or mental activities
still perpetuated ideas and reflected on not a few female students.

Figure 10 FGD with non-sample Male and Female teachers

66
Teachers in FGD pointed out that the poor performance of the female students in
Preparatory School was due to high demand for heavy household workload as well as
taking responsibility at home, and inadequate involvement of parents and lack of
continuous support by moral, financial and material from their parents due to poor income
capacity of the parents. They also boldly indicated that, failure of some not all teachers’
commitment to assist female students, and negative attitude of community towards girls’
schooling and low perception or stereotype of the students being a woman are factors affect
females’ academic achievements.

FGD with School Administrators and Education officials’

School Administrators in FGD and Education officials’ stated that, few girls had records of
good examination achievement compared to boys. Majority of the school Administers and
Education officials’ asserts that ideally variations or inconsistencies in exam achievements
are not good. However, in real situation variations always exist. The reason for the gender
inequalities could be modes of teaching, geographic location during the distribution of
experienced teachers, infrastructure, technology, teachers’ qualification and devotion to
assist students, exam administration system, students’ talent and commitment to study and
motivation to perform high academic result, integrity of school administration and the
facility of schools such as reading room, availability of reference materials.

They stress the case of absenteeism. Absenteeism is one of the major factors affecting the
students’ academic achievement. The student has an opportunity to acquire new knowledge
and day-to-day activities of the curriculum; this significantly influences the students’
academic achievement. In the discussion they affirmed that students sometimes were
cheating and passing exam answers to all class examinees. Due to lack of time to study and
prepare themselves for exam and lack of sufficient prior knowledge on subject matter,
students tried to adjust themselves to cheat the exam.

Teacher FGD stated that, it is clear that low number of female model teachers in the areas.
This may hinder females not to be motivated to learn as well as to perform well. They
indicted that only two female teachers have in Shinshicho Preparatory School.

67
FGD with Non-Sample Male and Female Students
Male and female students in FGD described that there is inability to cover the school cost
of the girls. Female students suffered from lack of money to pay house rent and food
accommodation those have come from rural remote kebeles and say in the town rental
house. They were thinking about their life and how to get subsistence rather they think
about their education to achieve well. This problem is also more difficult in poorest
households particularly at preparatory school level. The more they go up in schooling the
more the challenge will be. In this regard, the parents’ prefer to engage their daughter in
marriage and other income generating business rather than insisting their education.

Focus Group Discussions was conducted with non-sample female and male students also
revealed that many girls are working after school hours to earn some money to meet out the
school costs. This reduces their time for learning at home and focusing attention to
productive activities. Working for income generation while learning in schools obviously
limits study time and doing school homework among girls. In addition, they may have to
attend the household chores to help the mothers.

Non-Sample Male and female students on Focused Group Discussions also validated that
the importance of sexual harassment affecting the psychology of girls and their education.
It might occur from male students and male teachers inside the school, neighbors, relatives,
employers or strangers, as revealed by almost all the FGD with girls. These might happen
frequently if the girls stay in another home or in town rental house that far away from their
rural residuals family.

68
Figure 11 FGD with non-sample Male and Female students

FDG with Non-Sample Male and Female Teachers

Teacher FGD asserted that due to cultural norms submissiveness is expected from females
in household and community levels. Since early childhood, girls are taught not to be
assertive and to be obedient, to be submissive and believe to be lower than boys or men. It
results in low self-esteem, and lack of self-confidence, which are reflected in education as
well. All of the FGDs also articulated this view.

Teachers FGD articulated that tutorial classes try to arrange for female students in the
weekends and summer breaking time through Government and other Charity Societal
Organization support particularly for those who are weak in performance. However, the
major problem is associated with the parents’ attitude towards this arrangement. If their
daughters are absent from home in the appearance of having tutorials on Saturday and
Sunday, they suspect that the daughters are in dangerous situation in their teenage, as the
parents see their classmate boys are around the home premises and no class for them.
Hence, few parents never want to let their daughters to go for these extra ordinary sessions

69
out of home, and retain them with household chores. Attending tutorial classes which
arranged for female students is difficult for rural female students in the weekends and
summer breaking time. Female students who are traveling from rural area always returned
back to their residence place of family in weekend to collect their accommodation fee and
other food items. Additionally, their parents who live in rural area are not comfortable to
send their daughter and support in summer time for extra tutorial class. This leads to
absence of girls in tutorials and make the tutorials as unsuccessful exercises though the
intention is really good and contributing for better achievement of female education.

Common points in all FGDs

It is found from all FGDs that, the Shinshicho Preparatory School is located in town’s
center which far away from rural households and this seriously affects the girls, who have a
lot of household chores before going to schools. Most of the female students average
walking distance to Shinshicho Preparatory School is about 3-7 kms, and girls often reach
schools late traveling day to day. The school security guards always took advantage by
keeping them outside by closing the gate for late comers. Another issue which shared with
all FGDs in relation to long distance is that the girls have no chance to attend the tutorials
mostly arranged in the weekends, since the parents might doubt about attending the
weekend classes, and usually disallow them to go and attend the extra arranged tutorials
class. Strictly these conditions highly affected the female student academic performance.
The Male and Female FGD revealed that home to school distance get the name which is so
called “The Journee of Canaan” which analogy with the journey of Israelite from Egypt to
Canaan which was very long and take almost forty years.

There is a new observation which found in this study is fostering movements to migrate to
South Africa for marriage engagement. This newly emerging issue is spread in almost all
parts of the country; particularly it is very high in Kembeta Tembaro Zone especially in the
Kuacha Birra Woreda. Several illegal agents are working to promote this trend, and make
profits out of it. All FGDs indicated that South Africa has become a dream for many
teenage girls and boys from the locality, and they prepare to go out as they reach the age of
18 and secure a passport. Currently, many of the boys are migrating every day to South

70
Africa through illegal business agents. The poor families also hope that it is a good option
for having remittance income, than educating girls and also male here for no hopefulness.
As School Administrators and Educational Officials FGDs indicated that, even though
there is no clear data about South African Migrates but it expected that more than 25,000
Kemebeta Tembaro native migrated to South Africa since 1992EC or 2000/2001. If this
trend could not be stopped, it will be difficult for this specified zone especially in education
for future time. The IOM report further underlines that approximately 65,000 to 70,000 of
Ethiopians make their home in RSA. These numbers are increasing every week due to the
influx of new arrivals, mainly from large-scale, successful smuggling operations in
Ethiopia and over 95% of them enter South Africa through irregular means and regularize
their situations rapidly through its asylum policies (IOM, 2009). Teshome D. Kanko, Ajay
Bailey, and Charles H. Teller (2013) indicated that there are more than 80 ethnic groups in
Ethiopia but the irregular migration to South Africa is dominated by Kembata-Tembaro
and Hadiya ethnic groups from the southern part of the country.

In Kembeta Tembaro Zone, another trend is illegal migration to Middle East and Sudan,
ambitious for good jobs and salaries. FGDs which conducted with girls made it clear to go
to Middle East and Sudan illegally, with the help of illegal agents. The dreams about
Middle East and Sudan jobs are very high in the study area. All these new trends were
capitalized by illegal business agents seriously and adversely affecting girls’ education
finally.

Teachers FGD rose that, harmful traditional practices like Female Gentile Mutilation have
significant influences on girls’ education in study area in spite of the considerable efforts to
stop it. Its practice still existed in the study area in the form of ‘Hidden mutilation”. It
contributes to psychological shock, physiological problems and stress, and makes the girl
unable to focus on her education studies.

All FGDs indicted other finding which is widespread use of mobile phones in school
compounds and many students tend to misuse it. Getting the phone numbers of girls and
frequently calling them at night was reported to be a common phenomenon, which disturbs

71
the girls and badly affecting their academic performance. Moreover, these untimely calls
prompt the parents to doubt about the daughter and think and develop negative attitude
towards her education. More importantly, exchanging pornographic pictures and video
clips are an emerging trend in the study area Preparatory school. Within the Preparatory
School compounds the network connection is very fast rather than other places. As female
and male FGDs pointed out that, there is also a trend to watch various video clips or photos
using mobile phones (male and female together) in rest times and even during boring
classes sitting in back seats. Some of the students chat with their fried in learning class all
the period. Obviously, these might adversely affect their talent in academics.

5. SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS

5.1 Summary
This research study was mainly aimed to analyze the female students’ academic
performance and to identify the factors that affecting their academic performance in
Shinishicho Preparatory School of Kacha Birra Woreda, Kembate Tembaro Zone, in
SNNPRS. For the purpose of empirical investigation, a review of the literature indicated
that examine the average passing mark of the female students from schools could be an
appropriate indicator for understanding the magnitude of the problem at the school level,
and that the possible areas for investigation to understand the explanatory conditions
72
revolve around family, economic, school and psychological factors. In order to carry out
the investigation, a multiple case study design with historical and cross sectional
perspectives was used.

The execution of the study has been framed around different procedural steps including the
development of a research proposal, introduction of intent to research settings, selection of
research settings and population, administering instruments and data collection, analysis
and interpretation of data, and report producing. Instruments of data collection included
Interview schedules for quantitative and checklists for qualitative. The target population
was grade 11th and 12th female students in the academic year 2013/2014. The sample
female students were 100 out of that Grade 11th and Grade 12th through using Simple
Random Sampling techniques with the deploying of the Yemane’s Formula. For
comparison purpose, the researcher had added additional 25 respondents. Finally, the total
sample size was 125. In similar manner from 125 respective sampled female students’
household heads addressed by using semi-structured interview schedules. Therefore,
interview schedule distributed to 250 sampled populations and returned back were 240. In
order to measure the qualitative aspects of the research study, the researcher was conducted
FGDs with 8 male and female teachers, 8 administrators and education office officials, 16
male and female students. Additionally, the researcher used two elder (‘Shemagele’)
female student parents as key informants and three the most remote area grade 11 th and 12th
students in –depth interviews. Accordingly, a total number of 37 Non sample respondents
were addressed.

Relevant secondary documents besides of literature review were referred from Regional
Education Bureau, Kuacha Birra Woreda Education Office and Shinishicho Preparatory
School to triangulate qualitative and quantitative data. Quantitative data collected were
analyzed predominately by using percentage and frequency as showed in the tables. In
similar fashion, qualitative data which gathered through organizing FGD, in depth
interview by using the checklists and key informants were discussed in words triangulated
by personal observation, case stories and cross checking with qualitative data and
secondary data.

73
Findings of the study clearly pointed out that regarding to academic performance of female
students at Shinshicho Preparatory school had been affected through family, economic,
school and psychological factors. The finding shows that secondary school girls are not
only small in proportion, but also remain largely unsuccessful in their education. The
overall academic achievement and class participation of girls in the study school was lower
than that of boys. Moreover, of those students, the female students were scored lesser mark
than boys in grade 12th National Examinations.

There is one interesting things which clearly figured out in study that the academic
performance rate and the participation rate of the female students have been consistently
increased from year to years. Academic performance rate of the female students in the
study area for grade 12 was 23% in 2002 EC, 39% in 2003 EC, 46% in 2004 EC whereas
the participation of them was 28% in 2002 EC, 42% in 2003 EC, 49% in 2004 EC. Gender
disparity rate was also consistently decreeing like 2002 EC was 0.43% while in 2005 EC
was 0.49%. Perhaps these achievements are due to the gender sensitive educational policies
and strategies of the Government of Ethiopia, particularly during the last four years even
though considerable low academic performance of the female students had been recorded
in the study area.

5.2 Conclusion
One of the purposes of this study was to analyze the female students’ academic
performance and to identify the factors that affecting their academic performance in
Shinishicho Preparatory School of Kacha Birra Woreda, Kembate Tembaro Zone, in
SNNPRS. The study found that female education in the study area faces a lot of challenges.
The challenges are related to school factors and out of school factors in nature. The school
factors are sexual harassments, school to home distance, learning environment and female
teacher as a role model. Out of school factors are contributed by parents’ economic,
educational status and attitudes, communities’ traditions, beliefs and value systems, and
more significantly by the people living around with male dominance. These are shaped in
the personality of the female students, to be submissive, obedient, and consequently to be

74
exploited by the male dominance. This study has identified different causes for poor
academic performance of female in school education.

The research has attempted to investigate perpetuate factors that are contributing to poor
academic achievements of female students’ in Shinishicho Preparatory School of Kacha
Birra Woreda, Kembate Tembaro Zone, in SNNPRS. Examining the academic
performance of the female students and identify the factors that affecting the academic
performance of the female students in the study area. The research is able to figure out the
most important variables among them. Depending on the results of the analysis made, the
following major findings were identified.

The researcher has tried to identify the family factors, economic factors, school factors and
psychological factors that are significantly affecting areas in female students’ academic
performances. Family factors such as educational level of the household head, family size
and household chores are highly influential in female students’ academic achievement.
Economic factors such as school costs, household income, landholding and parental needs
of labour could affect the achievement of the female students. In similar manner, school
factors such as sexual harassments, school to home distance, learning environment and
female teacher as a role model in teaching profession could affect also their achievement.
In addition, psychological factors such are self-esteem of the female students, parents
attitude towards female students, teachers attitude towards to female students, and
community attitude towards to female students contributed to that factors which affecting
the female students academic performance.

5.3 Recommendations
To bring sustainable change and fostering the ongoing promising change in the society,
serious attention should be given to girls’ education and to the factors that affecting their
education should be tackled accordingly both by Government, Non-Government
Organizations and mass community. The study is a survey as such; it cannot come up with
all possible solution specifically geared to all problems related with the issue of poor
academic achievements of the female students. However, based on the finding of the study

75
the following recommendations are made to improve that the academic performance of the
female students in the study area.

Integrated Functional Adult Education for females’ HHHs

The significant portions of the households’ heads educational back ground were
categorized under the illiteracy in the study area that contributes to factors which affected
the female academic performance. Hence, organizing and strengthen already starting up
Integrated Functional Adult Education (IFAE) services through organizing a number of
IFAE centers equipped and functional is mandatory in their nearby village for illiterate
household heads. In view of this, the concern administrative bodies at Woreda level should
give due attention for execution of this Integrated Functional Adult Education program
which highly contribute to understand the household heads about the benefit of their
daughter education.

Awareness creation on Family Planning

Study area is densely populated area as Woreda secondary data indicated that the crude
population density is 215 persons/Km2. Similarly, the findings indicated that the majority
of household parents have between 5 up to 7 children. The poor household heads that have
many children would be forced to give priority to male children instead of girl education
due to meeting their daughter needs become difficult for such a family. Therefore, family
spacing or family planning should be given more consideration in study area by concern
government office including active participation of health workers and Charity Societal
Organization which dedicated to work in the family planning area.

Awareness creation workshops and discussion forms towards workload at home for
HHHs
As clearly stated that by most of the respondents there is a high need for girls to work the
household or domestic work than that of boys. Females have heavy burden and lack of time
for school assignments after school attending, lack of understanding the subject matter and
commitment to school activities. The effect is academic poor performance for the female
students. This may indicate that females spend more time helping their parents at home

76
than doing their homework and assignments which seriously affects their academic
performance. To avert this situation awareness creation workshops and panel discussion
forms should be organized for parents for the female students in order to reduce the
household chores activity which consumed a lot of time for their female students.

Improving HHs income

Poor household who dependent on farming always looking for other means of income
generating activities which is highly consumed child labor in general and female child
labor in particular. In this regard, creating and organizing saving group at village level
through concern Charity Societal Organization and government bodies should be carry out
in order to improving the income of poor households through saving groups and value
chain development approach project.
Construction of boarding houses or dormitory
Long distance of home to school is one of the affecting female students’ academic
performances that the survey findings indicated. To reduce the long distance of home to
school and the problem of living house rent and food supply cost for female students
building Secondary Schools at reasonable distances or bringing girls to a place where the
schools are available is crucial. It will be good to think to arrange residential, at least in
Preparatory level, for the females who coming from rural areas, since that is the most
vulnerable group for exploitations. In addition, building boarding houses or dormitory near
Preparatory school would be highly beneficial and minimizing the fear of parents towards
their daughter when they staying in nearby to school in far away from family residential
area. This should be organized with concern Charity Societal Organization which working
in the education area and concern Woreda government offices.

Organizing girl student forums with role model

As study finding indicated that there are only two female teachers in the Sninishicho
Preparatory school. Increasing role model female teachers, recruit more female teachers,
give more in-service training opportunities for under qualified female teachers should be
given emphasizing in Zonal and Woreda Government bodies in the preparatory level
which motivating the female students to give attention for their education. Besides

77
teachers, school Principals, concerned Government’ bodies should offer especial support to
female students to improve the female students’ academic performance. Furthermore,
education office heads and school administrators should be given gender sensitivity
training and workshops. Facilitate girl student forums with model women in the Woreda
who completed successfully higher education and become financially independent.

Strengthen Tutorial Program

Encourage and strengthen progressive tutorial program through facilitate community
mobilization to support teachers with incentives to actively engage in tutorial programs for
low performing female students. Schools should be encouraged to provide functional and
progressive gender focused tutorial program and organize experience sharing for teachers,
school supervisors, and principals to model schools demonstrated the quality education
(learning process and environment).

Creating gender sensitive school environment

Creating an attractive and gender sensitive school environment is necessary to invest in
school structures including classrooms, libraries and facilitate access to potable drinking
water and gender segregated toilets sanitary/hygiene facilities in schools. It should be
mandatory to have rest rooms for girls with doors. The findings indicated that the context
of wide spread absenteeism of female students were during the menstruation period due to
lack of private facilities in school, consequently affecting their academic performance. This
will be done through collaboration of ChSO and concern woreda government offices
specially education, health and water offices.

Experience sharing
It is possible to collaborate and have close linkages with nearby Universities to work for
the welfare of female students, to have an experience sharing sessions with University
female students, and to have role models, since the country now has Universities in almost
nearby neighbor zone like Wollaita or Wachamo University. In addition to these
facilitating the female student forums should be emphasized with model women in the
woreda who completed successfully higher education. This will be done through

78
collaboration of ChSO that working towards education and concern woreda government
offices specially education, health and water offices.

Appropriate Usage Technology in School Compound

Regarding to use a mobile phone it should be restricted by rules the usage of mobile phones
inside the school compound and learning class. The study finding indicated that there is
widespread use of mobile phones in school compounds and many students tend to abuse its
use. Getting the phone numbers of girls and frequently calling them at learning and night
time was reported to be a common phenomenon, which disturbs girls and affecting their
academic performance finally low.

Establishing and strengthening female students various Committees

It is needs to form and strengthen female students parliamentary and Girls’ Education
Advisory Committees in the school. Within the committee selected female teachers, female
students’ representatives, and school directors have to be a member in such committees.
These committees can monitor and handle the issues which affecting the female students’
education.

Organizing Awareness Creation Forms towards Illegal Migration

It should be illuminated illegal migration to South Africa for marriage engagement and to
Middle East and Sudan, ambitious for good jobs and salaries. Several illegal agents are
working to promote this trend, and make profits out of it. These illegal businesses are
seriously and adversely affecting girls’ education in the study area and it should be given
due attention in judiciary system in the specified Zone. It also needs awareness creation
forms for youth female, male, parents and mass communities about illegal migration to
South Africa, Middle East and Sudan.

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 6. REFERENCES
Alemayehu Bogale 2003. Girl’s Participation and Performance in Secondary Schools of
Southern Nation Nationalities and Peoples Region.

Ayalew Hibachi, 2005. Education for Rural people in Ethiopia. Addis Ababa University:
Addis Ababa.

Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID), 2010. Promoting Gender

Equality through the Millennium Development Goals. Canberra, 2010

Bogalech Alemu and Mengistu Asnake, 2007. Women’s Empowerment in Ethiopia: New
Solutions to Ancient Problems. Pathfinder International/Ethiopia, Addis Ababa.

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CSA, 2007. Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia Central Statistical Authority Statistical
Abstract (2007)

Department for International Development (DFID), 2005. Girls’ education: towards a better
future for all. January, 2005, London SW1E 5HE, UK

Elias Dore, 2006. Factors Affecting Females’ Participation in education: the case of Kacha
Birra Woreda in SNNPR.

Emebet Mulugeta, 2001. Teaching and learning in higher education. A paper presented in
the training workshop. Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, 2001, Institute of
Educational Research (IER)

FDRE 2002, The Constitution of Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia. Ethiopia; Addis
Ababa, Berhanena Selam Printing Press.

Irfan Mushtaq and Shabana Nawaz, 2012. ‘Factors Affecting Students’ Academic
Performance in Mohammad Ali Jinnah University Islamabad, Pakistan. Global Journal of
Management and Business Research: Vol. 12.

Kacha Birra Woreda Education Office 2014, Students first semester roster report of
2014/2013

Kassa Shurke 2006, Factors Affecting Females’ Participation in education: the case of
Tocha Woreda in SNNPR. Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia , 2006, School of graduate
studies.

Kane, E. 2004, Girls’ Education in Africa Region Human Development Sectors. The World
Bank, Washington D.C.

Kembata-Tembaro Zone Bureau of Finance and Economic Development 2011, Bureau of

Finance and Economic Development general report, 2010/2011, Kembata-Tembaro Zone,
Durame.

Ministry of Education (MoE), 1994. Transitional, Government of Ethiopia Education and

Training policy of Ethiopia, Addis Ababa.

Ministry of Education (MoE), 2002. “A Study of Gender Gap in Enrolment, Retention and
Performance in primary Schools of Five Regions”. Addis Ababa.WAD.

Ministry of Education (MoE), 2005. “Education Statistics Annual Abstract”. Ethiopia,

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Addis Ababa, EMIS.

Sam Gibson, 2004. Girls’ Education in Africa: An overview of what works. Brockley
Combe, Backwell, Bristol, BS48 3DF, London.

SNNPR Education Bureau 2012, Education Statistics Annual Abstract (2011/12) SNNPR
Education Bureau Awassa

Tadesse Shiferaw 2009, Understanding Female Students’ Academic Performance: An

Exploration of the Situation in South Nations Nationalities and Peoples Regional State,
Addis Ababa.

Tamirie Andualem, 2009. Trend Analysis of males ‘and Females’ Education in Different
School levels and School Types in Addis Ababa. Proceedings of the 16th International
Conference of Ethiopian Studies. Addis Ababa.

Teshome Nekatibeb, 2003. Low Participation of Female Students in Primary Education: A

Case study of Dropouts from the Amhara and Oromia Regional States in Ethiopia.
UNESCO International Conference for Africa.

Teshome D. Kanko, Ajay Bailey, and Charles H. Teller, 2013. IRREGULAR

MIGRATION: Causes and Consequences of Young Adult Migration from Southern
Ethiopia to South Africa, Busan, South Korea.

UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Science and Cultural Organization, 1985. Women
in a World Perspective. France.

UNESCO, 2003. “Monitoring Gender Equity in Framework of Education for All: ECE, Work
Session on Gender Statistics”. Geneva, Switzerland, 23–25 September 2002. Working Paper,
No.11.

_________ 2003. “Gender and Education for All: The Leap to Equality, Summary Report”.
UNESCO Publishing, Paris.

Wakgari Tasisa and Teklu Tafesse, 2012. Gender Disparity in Academic Achievements in
Ethiopian Colleges of Teacher Education

World Bank 2004, World Development Report. Washington: The World Bank

______ 2006. Education in Ethiopia: Strengthening the Foundation for Sustainable

Progress.

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The World Bank Washington, D.C.

_______2009, World Development Report. Washington: The World Bank.

Wudu Melese and Getahun Fenta 2009,Trend and causes of female students’ dropout
from teacher education institutions of Ethiopia: the case of Jimma University.

Yenenesh Taddessa, 2007. Determinants of Female Enrolment and Achievement in

primary Education in Kombolicha Woreda, Eastern Hararghe Zone, Oromia Region,
Ethiopia. An MSc Thesis Presented to the School of Graduate Studies of Haramaya
University.

Yeshimebrat, Alemayehu and Firew 2013. Factors Affecting Female Students’ Academic
Achievement at Bahir Dar University, Bahir Dar University, Addis Ababa.

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 7. APPENDICES

FACTORS AFFECTING THE FEMALE STUDENTS ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE

IN PREPARATORY SCHOOL: THE CASE OF KACHA BIRRA WOREDA,
KAMBATA-TEMBARO ZONE, SOUTHERN NATIONS, NATIONALITIES AND
PEOPLES REGIONAL STATE, ETHIOPIA

7.1 Appendix I: Interview Schedule for Sampled Female Students

Instruction for the Enumerators:
The main purpose of the study is to investigate the academic performance of female
students in your area. You are one among those chosen respondents in the study. Thus,
researcher requests you for information and it appreciates your willingness to support its
efforts. Researcher believes that you will find the questions are interesting and it looks
forward to receiving your reply. All information obtained from you will be kept
confidential and use these results only for the research.
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Background
1. Name of your school ………………..…….…
2. Age ………
3. Place of resident: Rural…………..Urban………………
4. Grade level …………..………....................

I. Family Factors
1. Do you attend class regularly? A. Yes B. No
2. Do you work out side of the school hours’? A. Yes B. No

3. If “Yes”, what types of task do you perform and rate the amount of time you spend in
the week on the following types
Whole
S. No Household Chores Week Some days Few days Remark
1 Fetching water        
2 Collecting fuel wood        
3 Cooking meals        
4 Caring for siblings        
5 Washing cloths
6 Marketing        
7 Cleaning rooms
8 Farming        
9 Cattle herding        
10 Any Others        

II. Economic Factors

85
4. Do you feel that at the place where you live, do boys and girls have equal chance to
enter school?
A. Yes B. No
5. If your response to question number 1 is "No" who gets more chance?
A. Girl B. Boy
6. Do you think that school costs influence parents' willingness to educate their
daughters?
A. Yes B. No C. I am not certain
7. If "Yes" which of the following cost are not affordable for girls who come from poor
families?
A. House rent and food supply cost
B. Stationery and material cost
C. Books rent
D. School fees
E. Any other------------------
8. What is your household occupation?
A. Farming B. Non- farm employment
C. Off farm employment D. Any Other ---------

III. School Factors

9. Do you think that schools, especially preparatory school in your area are located on
reasonable
distance to all students home?
A. Yes B. No
10. The distance between school and home --------------Km
A. <1 Km B. 1-3Km C. 3-5 km D. > 5 Km
11. Have you ever faced a problem due to the distance of school from home?
A. Yes B. No
12. If yes, please mention the problems you have faced?
A) Shortage of money to pay for food and house rent
B) Parents are unwilling to send their daughters to distant schools
C) School drop out
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 D) Sexual harassment
E) Any different from the above----------------
13. Do you think that is there sexual harassments in your school?
A. Yes B. No
14. If yes, what is negative impact on your study?
A. ------------------------------- C. --------------------------------
B. -----------------------------------D. ----------------------------
15. Do you know any successful educated girl (s. in your area?
A. Yes B. No
16. Do you think that the presence of female teachers in schools has positive effect on
female
student achievement?
A. Yes B. No
17. Rate the following school environment for instructional program which affect the
females
education in school.

School environment High Medium Low Remark

Inadequacy of classrooms      
Shortage of instructional materials      
Lack of textbooks      
Lack of gender sensitive facilities (toilet,
sanitation and hygienic      
Inadequacy of school library      

IV. Psychological Factors

18. What is your total score of Grade 10 Examination? ……………….

19. Do you believe that females are equally competent with males?
A. yes B. No
20. Do you feel that, in education, girls could perform or achieve as well as boys.
A. yes B. No
21. Do you feel that, educated girls are as important as educated boys?
A. Yes B. No
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22. How is your academic result?
A. Very Good B. Good C. Satisfactory D. Poor E. Failure
23. Girls have the intellectual capability to effectively use their education in life.
A. Yes B. No
24. What do you think of your employment opportunities or the chances to find jobs after
completing your education?
A. Encouraging B. Not Sure C. Discouraging
25. Do your parents are encouraging or assisting in your education?
A. Yes B. No
26. If your answer is yes, what is the degree of help?
A. High, B. Medium C. Low
27. How is the attitude of your community towards female education in your area?
A. Positive and encouraging
B. Negative and discouraging
C. I do not know
28. The suggestion and comments regarding your education that you get from your
community:
A. High B. Medium B. Low
29. What is your self-esteem towards female education?
S. Self-esteem towards female Strongl Agree Neutra Disagree Strongly
No. education y Agree l disagree
1 Both boys and girls are equal in
education
2 Girls are not capable for school
education
3 I can score in an exam more than
other students (both male and
female.
4 Education is not of great value to
females as they marry and go with
their husbands
5 I will hold good position the
future through education
6 Girls are more for HH work rather
go for school education

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30. How is the teachers’ attitude towards educational participation of the female students?
A. Encouraging B. Discouraging C. I do not know
31. Do you feel that, Special support teachers give to female students?
A. Yes B. No
32. If ‘Yes’ in what areas
A) Paying special attention B. Giving better marks
B) Giving material incentives D. Praising
E. Provision of school materials F. Guidance and counselling
33. What factors mostly affect the academic achievements of female students at secondary
level?
A. Economic factors C. Scholl factors
B. Psychological Factors D. family factors
34. What do you think and how to improve female students’ academic achievement?
A. ------------------------------------------ B. ---------------------------------------------
C. ------------------------------------------D. ----------------------------------------------
35. If you have additional comments, suggestions and recommendations on females'
education you are welcome.
------------------------------------------------------------------

7.2 Appendix II: Interviews Schedule for Household Heads

Background
1. Age……………….
2. Sex: Male………….. Female…………….
3. Marital status
A. Single B. Married C. Divorced D. Widow/widower
4. Religion
A. Muslim B. Protestant C. Orthodox D. Catholic E. Any other…………….
I. Family Factors
5. Family size: ------------, Males-------------, Females----------------
6. How many children do you have in school? ---------- Boys--------------, Girls------------
7. Highest level of education attained of household head
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 A. Illiterate    
B. Basic literacy (read and write)    
C. Primary Education    
D. Secondary Education    
E. TTI Certificate    
F. Diploma    
G. Degree and above
II. Economic Factors    
8. Occupation: -------------------------------
9. Hectares of land owned--------------- Number of cattle owned-----------------
10. How do you rate your annual income status?
A. High (above 8000. B. Medium 5001 to 8000. C. Low (less than 5000)
11. From your own experience, what is the extent to which the less academic performance
of girls is related to costs of schooling?
A. High B. Medium C. Low
12. Which of the following School costs play the role in the academic performance of
female students in the school?
S. No. Categories of Cost High Medium Low
1 Costs of textbooks
2 Costs of uniforms      
3 Costs of educational Materials      
4 Costs of transportation      
5 Cost of accommodation      
13. How much are you willing to pay for your daughters’ cost of schooling?
A. More willing B. Somewhat willing C. Not willing
14. Does your daughter who attends school work out side of the school hours in the
household work?
A. Yes B. No
15. What type of work they perform?
S. No. Types of HH chores Yes No Remark
1 Fetching water      
2 Cooking meals      
3 Washing cloths
4 Marketing      
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 5 Agriculture labour      

III. Psychological Factors

16. Parent Attitude towards Female Education
S. Parents Attitude towards Strongl Agree Neutra Disagree Strongly
No. Female Education-Positive y Agree l disagree
Statements
1 Female education is important for
the development of the society
2 Boys and girls are equally
intelligent and
3 Girl education guarantees more
secure family and old age support
4 Education makes girls more
understanding and self-confident.
5 Educating girl means educating a
nation

17. Parent Attitude towards Female Education

S. Parents Attitude towards Strongl Agree Neutra Disagree Strongly
No. Female Education-Negative y Agree l disagree
Statements
1 Girls are born to do household
work and serving men rather get
educated
2 Girl’s natural duty is getting
married and bearing children
3 Education makes girls
disobedient, arrogant and proud
4 Due to the cost aspects, they want
to promote son only but not
daughter
5 Due to after marriage, girls will
go husband's house

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7.3 Appendix III: Check list for FGD on Non-Sample Male and Female Teachers
1. How many years of working experience that you have?
2. What is your highest educational qualification?
3. In you experience of teaching at Preparatory school, who (male or female) do you
achieve academically better in their study? Why?
4. In you experience of teaching at Preparatory school, do you encourage female students
in order to achieve better in academic results? A.Yes B.No.
5. If you answer is “Yes”, what strategy you use to assist female students?
6. Do you believe that female students need more help/advice than male students at this
level? Why?
7. Do you think that academic achievement of female students is lower than that of male
students, what could be the reason for their lower academic achievement?
8. What factors associated more with girls’ failure to perform well in the school?
9. Have you ever observed any immoral practices done by the boys against females?
10. In general, what do you say about the academic performance of female students?
11. What do you think to improve the female students’ academic achievement?

7.4 Appendix IV: Check list for FGD on School Administrators

1. How many years of working experience that you have?
2. What is your position in your school?
3. What is your highest educational qualification?
4. How do you believe that the educational participation of the girls at your school is equal
to boys?
5. Do you think that, female students perform better that that of the male students in grade
11th and 12th?
6. If no, what is the reason for less performance?
7. Do you think that, the teacher at your school treat boys and girls equally? Yes No
8. If No, what are the issues disturbed the girls student?
9. Do you think that female students facing any sanitation probers in the school compound?
10. Do you think that girl students are safety in your school compound from being harassed
by boys or teachers?
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7.5 Appendix V: Check list for FGD on Non-Sample Female and Male students
1. Do you think that schools, especially preparatory school in your area are located on
reasonable distance to all students home?
2. How do you feel that boys and girls have equal chance to enter school?
3. How do you feel that female are weak than boys to peruse education?
4. Do you think that boys and girls are equally intelligent and can perform equally?
5. Do you think that schooling costs influence your education? Lists the costs…………..
6. Do you perform the household chores after the school? If yes explain the tasks………..
7. Do you think that there is sexual harassment in your school?
8. Does your school have sanitation facilities for female students?
9. How is the educational participation and performance of female students?
10. How is the teachers’ attitude towards female education?
11. How is your portents’ attitude towards female education?

7.6 Appendix VI: Checklist for Key Informants Interview with Community Elder
1. How many children do you have in school?
2. Do you think that, School costs play the role in the academic performance of female
students in the school?
3. Do you feeling comfortable to pay for your daughters’ cost of schooling
4. Does your daughter who attends school work out side of the school hours in the
household work? What type of work they perform?
5. Do you think that, female education is important for the development of the society?
6. Do you think that boys and girls are equally intelligent?
7. Do you think that girl education guarantees more secure family and old age support
8. Do you thing feel that education makes girls disobedient, arrogant and proud

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