Determinants of Primary School Non-Enrollment and Absenteeism: Results from a Retrospective, Convergent Mixed Methods, Cohort Study in Rural Western Kenya

Abstract

BackgroundEducation is a key element in the socioeconomic development required to improve quality of life in Kenya. Despite the introduction of free primary education, primary school enrollment and attendance levels remain low. Drawing on qualitative and quantitative data, this study explores the determinants of non-enrollment and absenteeism in rural western Kenya and potential mitigation strategies to address these issues.MethodsThe study was conducted in Bwaliro village in rural western Kenya. A random sample of 64 students was obtained by blocking the village primary school’s student population according to grade level, gender, and orphan status. Qualitative and quantitative data were collected through interviews with parents, guardians, and key informants, and focus group discussions with students. Quantitative data were compared using chi-square tests, Student’s T-test, and Poisson regressions. Qualitative data were analyzed using thematic content analysis.ResultsMalaria, menstruation, and lack of money were among the most notable determinants of primary school dropout and absenteeism, and these factors disproportionately impacted orphans and female students. Potential mitigation strategies suggested by the community included provision of malaria treatment or prevention, reduction in education costs, expansion of the established school-feeding program, and provision of sanitary pads.ConclusionDespite free primary education, numerous factors continue to prevent children in rural western Kenya from attending primary school. The findings suggest that interventions should primarily target orphaned and female students. Prior to implementation, suggested mitigation strategies should be assessed for cost-effectiveness.

Impact of school-based malaria case management on school attendance, health and education outcomes: a cluster randomised trial in southern Malawi

“…School attendance is known to be sensitive to contextual changes both at the school level, such as the introduction of a school feeding programme, or at the local environmental level, such as weather patterns and their effect on the local harvest 6. Such changes are unavoidable and though monitored and broadly accounted for wherever possible, they may have exerted unobserved heterogeneity on the primary outcome of attendance.…”

“…Although measured at baseline and included in the initial study stratification, the extent of school-feeding programmes changed throughout the study period, and these are known to influence enrolment and attendance 48–50. Furthermore, information on whether the children were orphans or vulnerable children, or involved in child labour, both risk factors previously shown to be associated with attendance,6 51 were not collected. However, due to the randomised design, such changes and risk factors are likely to be similar across groups.…”

“…Malaria is estimated to contribute between 5% to 8% of all-cause absenteeism among African schoolchildren, equivalent to 50% of all preventable absenteeism 1. Evidence from high transmission settings suggest each episode of clinical malaria is responsible for between 2.4 days and 6.5 days absenteeism from school2–5 and in western Kenya, malaria was reported by caregivers to account for over a third of school days missed 6. As well as a recognised contributor to anaemia among school-age children, from an educational perspective, malaria can have a direct impact on intellectual development in children through impaired attention and cognitive function 7–11.…”

Öğrencilerin Okula Devamından Sorumlu Paydaşların Görüşlerine Göre Okul Devamsızlığının Nedenleri ve Buna Yönelik Çözüm Önerileri

“…In conclusion, education, one of the basic human rights, is regarded by the World Bank (1993) as the catalyst of human development and economic growth (cited by Okumu, Nakajjo & Isoke, 2008) and by researchers as a requirement for socio-economic development and life quality (King, N., Dewey, C., & Borish, D., 2015). On the other hand, the study results indicate that family's educational and income level, the indicator of socio-economic status, is the strongest determinant of school success and attendance (Rumburger, 2001:14).…”

Efficacy and safety of intermittent preventive treatment for malaria in schoolchildren: a systematic review

“…However, the impact of health factors on educational outcomes for schoolchildren is widely recognized, including by governments [ 5 ]. Previous research on the effect of malaria on children’s education showed that malaria is the leading cause of school absenteeism [ 6 , 7 ] and asymptomatic malaria was likely to affect school performance [ 8 ]. In addition, malaria remains the biggest killer among school-aged children, causing 50 % of deaths in this age group in sub-Saharan Africa [ 9 ].…”