Socio-Economic Status and Students Dropout in Selected Secondary Schools of Gakenke District Rwanda

ABSRTACT This study arose from the popular assumption that the economy of Rwanda in Gakenke district is collapsing and it has relationship with students’ dropout. Thus the study attempted to solve the problem due to socio-economic status and students’ dropout in selected secondary schools of Gakenke district-Rwanda. The research was guided by three research questions which intended to know if there was relationship between parents’ level of education, attitudes, and income and school dropout in Gakenke district of Rwanda. The researcher used survey research design to conduct the study. To carry out this research, 6 out of 46 schools were chosen and a sample of 400 respondents were selected, About research instruments, questionnaires and interviews were mainly used. In analyzing the data, the researcher used descriptive analysis, and Pearson Product Moment correlation technique. The researcher found that there was a strong significant correlation between the three research variables and students’ dropout in Gakenke district showing that the findings could be generalized. It was recommended that government should increase opportunities and access to schooling, provide a contextualized curriculum, introduce plans to provide guidance to students and enhance community involvement in view to promote high access on education. It was recommended that future researchers should consider the areas like access on education, educational infrastructure and the control of school attendance in view to overcome the problems of students’ dropout in Rwanda and more especially in Gakenke district.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

DECLARATION A

DECLARATION B ii

APPROVAL SHEET iii

DEDICATION iv

ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS v

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS vii

TABLE OF CONTENTS viii

LIST OF TABLES xii

LIST OF FIGURES xiii

ABSRTACT xiv

CHAPTER ONE 1

THE PROBLEM AND ITS SCOPE 1

Introduction 1

Background of the study 1

Statement of the Problem 2

Purpose of the Study 3

Research Objectives 3

Research Questions 3

Hypotheses 4

Scope 4

Significance of the Study 4

Operational Definition of Key Terms 5

Dropout: Leaving school without completing a given academic level 5

CHAPTER TWO 6

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE 6

Introduction 6

Parents’ Level of Education 6

Parents’ Attitudes and Students’ Dropout 8

Parents’ Income and their Occupation 10

Concepts, Ideas, Opinions from Authors/Experts 13

Parental Involvement in Children’s Education 15

Theoretical Perspectives 17

System Theory 17

Core Assumptions and Statements in the System Theory 17

Conceptual Model of the System Theory 19

Favorite Methods in the System Theory 20

Conceptual Framework 20

Related Studies 22

CHAPTER THREE 33

METHODOLOGY 33

Introduction 33

Research Design 34

Research Population 34

Sample Size 34

Sampling Procedure 36

Research Instruments 36

Library Research 36

Questionnaires

INTERVIEW

Observations.. •• ••~................ ..................................•. ...39

Data Processing

Editing....................................................39

Coding.......................................................................................40

Tabulators.......................................~ ..........................~ ............40

Validity arid Reliability of Iristrurneri~.......................................................................40

Data Gathering Procedures......................................................................................41

Data

Ethical Considerations .............................................................................................41

limitation of the Study .......................................42

Reliability Tests for the Questionnaire.......................................................................43

CHRPTER FOUR ......................................................................................................45

PRESENTATION, ANPJ_YSIS AtID IrrrERppErArION OF DATA............. .45

Introduction.. . .......... ........... ~ .. . .. .. . . . . .. . .. .. . . .. . .. .. . . . . .. . . . . . .~ .....45

Measurement of the Dependent Variable. School Dropout .......................... ...............45

Presentation of the Area of Study.............................................................................46

calculation of the Sample ........................................................................................46

Dropout rates

Significance of