Internal Efficiency Indicators in Education

Examining the Causes of Dropouts in Selected Secondary Schools of Mongu District, Zambia

Abstract

The article sought to examine the nature of secondary school dropouts in selected secondary schools in Mongu district. The objectives of the paper were anchored on understanding the causes of secondary school dropouts and to establish the proportion of learners that dropped out for the period 2012-2017 in Mongu district. This article employed a concurrent mixed method design that involved combining qualitative and quantitative research. In qualitative perspectives, interview guides were central while the usage of questionnaires were key in empirical quantitative investigation. Purposive and simple random sampling were used to select interviewees and respondents respectively. The sample size was 232 participants who included; 90 teachers and 122 pupils that responded to the questionnaire, and 6 Head teachers, 3 planners, 1 DEBS and 10 dropouts that were key informant interviewees. Furthermore, qualitative data was analysed according to emerging themes while quantitative data was analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics in which factor analysis was employed. The result of this study established that pregnancy, financial challenges and truancy were the major reasons explaining the nature of school drop outs among pupils in Mongu district. Pregnancy emerged as the single most influential factor accounting for dropping out amongst girls and financial challenges was the major reason for boys. In order to reduce dropout rates and improve opportunities for pupils in the secondary school system, the study recommended that there be an introduction of a form of financial support and intensify sex education among the pupils.