A sociocultural approach to the study of young women's re-entry in secondary schools in Mbale district

Abstract

Girls' schooling has received considerable attention internationally, particularly since the early 1990s. Although there is progress towards gender parity in enrolment at the primary level, very little has been achieved at the secondary one especially in sub-Saharan Africa including Uganda. The Ugandan government has, through the National Strategy for Girls' Education put up several measures to enhance girls' participation in schooling but no significant results have been recorded mainly due to limited coordination, monitoring and geographical coverage.

The purpose of the study was to find out the obstacles and challenges to women's re-entry in secondary schools. It aimed at exploring the influence of different social and cultural settings on young women's aspirations for re-entering school. The theoretical framework for the study is based on Sociocultural and Activity Theory which considers processes by which social, cultural, and historical factors shape human functioning, and psychological tools through which individuals learn to make meanings when they interact with others.

Data used in the study were collected by both quantitative and qualitative methods. An initial survey was conducted through structured interviews to obtain information on a number of re-entrants' and non re-entrants' socio-demographic characteristics. Descriptive statistics were used to analyse the characteristics of the young women. Crosstabulations were then used to determine the significance of these characteristics on the women's schooling. Logistic regression analysis was then used to predict the likelihood of secondary school re-entry basing on the significant variables. Life history interviews were carried out with selected re-entrants, non re-entrants and their mothers. Data from the in-depth interviews was analysed by identifying concepts, comparing and contrasting them, categorising, and then classifying them. The main determinants of school re-entry were found to be socioeconomic, sociocultural and individual circumstances.

Date of Award	28 Nov 2007
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	University of Bath
Supervisor	H R J Daniels (Supervisor)