INVESTIGATING THE ROLES OF EDUCATIONAL LEADERS IN PROMOTING GIRLS’ RETENTION IN SCHOOLS: A CASE STUDY OF SELECTED SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN KABWE DISTRICT.

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Date
2018
Authors
KALUMBA, GRACE
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Publisher
The University of Zambia
Abstract
The study investigated the roles of education leaders in promoting girls’ retention in secondary schools in Kabwe District. The objectives of the study included: investigating the roles of education leaders in promoting girls’ retention in secondary school in Kabwe District of Central Province of Zambia; investigating the implemented programmes by the education leaders to improve girls’ retention in secondary schools; investigating the specific roles of school administrators in improving and promoting girls’ retention rate in secondary schools; and determining the measures put in place by the education leaders to promote sustainableThis study took the case study design. The targeted population of the study included teachers, Parents-Teachers’ Association (P.T.A) leaders and district education leaders including the District Education Board Secretary (DEBS) and the District Education Standards Officer (DESO). Purposive sampling technique was used to select the participants among the education leaders who provided information to fulfill the objectives of this study. The study adopted both questionnaires and interviews as suitable tools for data collection. Also, the study used both qualitative and quantitative methods to analyze findings. education for girls. This study revealed that educational leaders at various levels had shown interest in promoting girls’ education in Zambia. The study also discovered that education leaders had engaged in various educational activities to make sure that girls were supported in education. Among the identified roles played by the educational leaders in this study included sensitization on girls’ educational policies, providing of guidance and counselling services, dialogue with parents, as well as partnership with both international and local organizations. Further findings revealed that the Promotion of Girls’ Education (PROGE) project was implemented and integrated with re-entry policy in order to increase retention and transition rates to the secondary schools for marginalized girls. The study also revealed that educational leaders had continued with positive discrimination policy by lowering girls cut off point, enrolling more girls than boys, recommending more girls for educational sponsorship than boys and securing accommodation places for girls than boys. Finally, the study made the following recommendations to enable many girls’ participation in secondary education. Educational leaders should towards supporting girls’ educationalpolicies, making girls ‘education affordable, need for Charity organizations, religious bodies and other voluntary organizations to take keen interest in supporting girls in schools. There was also need to strengthen community and parental participation in education policies, planning and budgeting processes, removal of tuition fees and other financial and nonfinancial barriers to access to secondary education as part of a comprehensive national plan that provides for adequate financial allocations to offset direct and indirect costs of schooling for the girls.
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Keywords
Leadership--Girls education--Zambia , Retention--Drop outs girls--Zambia
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