FACTORS MILITATING AGAINST GIRL CHILD EDUCATION IN GHANA. A CASE STUDY OF DARBAA COMMUNITY IN THE ATWIMA NWABIAGYA DISTRICT

ABSTRACT

This study examine the factors affecting girl child education in Dabaa Community in the Atwima Nwabiagya District. The objective of the study was to establish the socioeconomic factors, socio-cultural factors and school -based factors that affects girl child education in the Darbaa Community. Descriptive survey design using mixed method approach was adopted for the study. Purposive sampling technique was used to select seventy (70) participants comprising of 62 students, 4 teachers and 4 parents for the study. Questionnaire and interview protocol were the instruments used in collecting data for the study The findings of the study revealed that socio-economic factors such as parental income. Parental occupation, level of parents’ education and child labour were factors affecting girl child education in Dabaa community in the Atwima Nwabiagya District. Further, the study revealed that socio-cultural factors such as early marriage, female genital mutilation, parental attitudes towards girl child education, and teenage pregnancy affects girl child education in Dabaa Community in the Atwima Nwabiagya District. Finally, the study revealed that cost of schooling, irrelevant curricula, and teacher pupil interaction were school-related factors affecting girl child education in Dabaa Community in the Atwima Nwabiagya District. It is therefore recommended that government and other non-governmental organizations need to step up their efforts to eliminate socio-cultural practices that disadvantage the girl child in order to achieve gender parity in education.