The document discusses students' absenteeism in Uganda's Universal Secondary Education system. It finds the average absenteeism rate is 23.18% in day schools and 3.25% in boarding schools. The main causes of absenteeism identified are lack of school supplies, household work, lack of interest, hunger at school, sexual harassment, long distances to school, illness, family issues like loss of a parent, peer influence, and harsh punishment. Absenteeism affects students from poor families, those living far from school, females, orphans, the disabled, males, and those from single parent homes most. The study recommends improving family income, providing school meals, improving transportation, holding schools accountable, and examining the
Each teacher is provided with a Korean assistant who helps with translation,
cultural issues, paperwork and other daily tasks. This assistant is usually a student or
recent graduate who speaks excellent English.
Vacation Time: Teachers receive paid national holidays and summer/winter breaks.
National holidays include New Years, Lunar New Year, Independence Movement Day
and more. Summer break is usually 6 weeks and winter break is 2 weeks.
Health Insurance: All teachers receive national health insurance which covers the cost
of doctor visits and hospital stays. Some schools also provide additional private
insurance.
Severance Pay: Upon completion of the contract, teachers receive a lump sum
severance payment equal to one month's salary for
The document discusses the development of curriculum in the Philippines under different periods of history. During colonial rule, the curriculum served colonial goals and objectives. After independence, reforms were made including introducing the vernacular as the medium of instruction in primary schools and emphasizing a community school concept. Curriculum continued to be revised to meet the needs of the times and include more Philippine-oriented materials, vocational education, and use of new instructional technologies.
The document outlines the mandate and functions of the Directorate of Curriculum, Assessment and Research (DCAR) in Sindh, which was restructured from the Bureau of Curriculum and Extension Wing to develop, implement, evaluate curricula and textbooks; conduct student achievement tests; and promote continuous assessment of learning across all school levels in the province. It provides details on the curricula developed and reviewed by DCAR, assessments conducted, current and future plans, partnerships with other organizations, and challenges faced by the department.
This document outlines a plan to create a more child-friendly school environment through environmental initiatives. It establishes a committee of teacher advisors and a School Friendly Committee of students. The plan involves organizing student clubs and contests around environmental themes like greening and beautification. Activities will promote caring for the environment and document progress. The goal is to improve students and build the school's prestige through environmental approaches.
Plan de monitoreo 2014 - I.E JUAN MIGUEL PEREZ RENGIFO - TARAPOTOWilter Aro
Este documento presenta un plan de monitoreo y acompañamiento docente para la Institución Educativa "Juan Miguel Pérez Rengifo" en Tarapoto, Perú. El plan tiene como objetivo fortalecer las capacidades de los docentes mediante el diálogo y la reflexión sobre su práctica pedagógica para mejorar los aprendizajes de los estudiantes. El plan describe las bases legales, objetivos, metas, cronograma de actividades, recursos, presupuesto y evaluación del proceso de monitoreo y acompañamiento docente.
Sample-PPT-Presentation-for-3rd-Quarter-DMEPA.pptxFil John Ilagan
The document presents a quarterly report on the progress of educational programs in a district, including data on enrollment numbers, financial expenditures, output indicators, and an analysis of issues. Charts show spending, enrollment trends over three school years by gender and learning modality, and vaccination rates. The report identifies concerns in various programs, the actions taken to address them, and technical assistance needed from higher levels of the department.
A report card provides a snapshot of the school’s current condition and performance. It is a tool for advocating and communicating the school situation, context, and performance to internal and external stakeholders to involve them in making the school a better learning place for the learners.
Its purpose is to provide necessary information pertaining to the accomplishments, projects, and programs of the LSCES that involves internal and external stakeholders. This is also a reflection of how far the school has been implementing DepEd PPAs which will cater to the needs of the learners as its clienteles.
School feeding programs have many benefits, including increased school attendance, reduced dropout rates, and improved health, development, and academic performance in children. The letter requests two sacks of rice from the provincial governor to fund a 10-week school feeding program at Inasuyan Integrated School for vulnerable children aged 4 to 10, as malnutrition negatively impacts education and long-term productivity. The program aims to supplement the diets of malnourished students and promote their development.
Each teacher is provided with a Korean assistant who helps with translation,
cultural issues, paperwork and other daily tasks. This assistant is usually a student or
recent graduate who speaks excellent English.
Vacation Time: Teachers receive paid national holidays and summer/winter breaks.
National holidays include New Years, Lunar New Year, Independence Movement Day
and more. Summer break is usually 6 weeks and winter break is 2 weeks.
Health Insurance: All teachers receive national health insurance which covers the cost
of doctor visits and hospital stays. Some schools also provide additional private
insurance.
Severance Pay: Upon completion of the contract, teachers receive a lump sum
severance payment equal to one month's salary for
The document discusses the development of curriculum in the Philippines under different periods of history. During colonial rule, the curriculum served colonial goals and objectives. After independence, reforms were made including introducing the vernacular as the medium of instruction in primary schools and emphasizing a community school concept. Curriculum continued to be revised to meet the needs of the times and include more Philippine-oriented materials, vocational education, and use of new instructional technologies.
The document outlines the mandate and functions of the Directorate of Curriculum, Assessment and Research (DCAR) in Sindh, which was restructured from the Bureau of Curriculum and Extension Wing to develop, implement, evaluate curricula and textbooks; conduct student achievement tests; and promote continuous assessment of learning across all school levels in the province. It provides details on the curricula developed and reviewed by DCAR, assessments conducted, current and future plans, partnerships with other organizations, and challenges faced by the department.
This document outlines a plan to create a more child-friendly school environment through environmental initiatives. It establishes a committee of teacher advisors and a School Friendly Committee of students. The plan involves organizing student clubs and contests around environmental themes like greening and beautification. Activities will promote caring for the environment and document progress. The goal is to improve students and build the school's prestige through environmental approaches.
Plan de monitoreo 2014 - I.E JUAN MIGUEL PEREZ RENGIFO - TARAPOTOWilter Aro
Este documento presenta un plan de monitoreo y acompañamiento docente para la Institución Educativa "Juan Miguel Pérez Rengifo" en Tarapoto, Perú. El plan tiene como objetivo fortalecer las capacidades de los docentes mediante el diálogo y la reflexión sobre su práctica pedagógica para mejorar los aprendizajes de los estudiantes. El plan describe las bases legales, objetivos, metas, cronograma de actividades, recursos, presupuesto y evaluación del proceso de monitoreo y acompañamiento docente.
Sample-PPT-Presentation-for-3rd-Quarter-DMEPA.pptxFil John Ilagan
The document presents a quarterly report on the progress of educational programs in a district, including data on enrollment numbers, financial expenditures, output indicators, and an analysis of issues. Charts show spending, enrollment trends over three school years by gender and learning modality, and vaccination rates. The report identifies concerns in various programs, the actions taken to address them, and technical assistance needed from higher levels of the department.
A report card provides a snapshot of the school’s current condition and performance. It is a tool for advocating and communicating the school situation, context, and performance to internal and external stakeholders to involve them in making the school a better learning place for the learners.
Its purpose is to provide necessary information pertaining to the accomplishments, projects, and programs of the LSCES that involves internal and external stakeholders. This is also a reflection of how far the school has been implementing DepEd PPAs which will cater to the needs of the learners as its clienteles.
School feeding programs have many benefits, including increased school attendance, reduced dropout rates, and improved health, development, and academic performance in children. The letter requests two sacks of rice from the provincial governor to fund a 10-week school feeding program at Inasuyan Integrated School for vulnerable children aged 4 to 10, as malnutrition negatively impacts education and long-term productivity. The program aims to supplement the diets of malnourished students and promote their development.
Under the leadership of Mario R. Quiambao, the SDO-Nueva Ecija conducted various activities from April to June 2022 to support curriculum implementation, contextualization, learning and resource development, learning outcomes assessment, and technical assistance across 33 districts. Key activities included monitoring limited face-to-face classes, conducting focus group discussions, supporting contextualized learning materials, implementing intervention strategies, and providing research support to teachers. Overall, targets for activities were fully accomplished with analysis of challenges and lessons learned provided.
The document discusses the definition and purpose of professional ethics codes. It begins by defining ethics as norms, values and rules that guide good human behavior. It then discusses definitions of ethics from several experts and similar terms like morals. The rest of the document discusses the definition of teacher ethics codes, principles within ethics codes, and the purpose of developing ethics codes for professions.
Alternative learning system report [autosaved]Lilyvic Kalim
This document discusses alternative learning delivery modes and education programs in the Philippines. It describes the Radio-Based Instruction Program which delivers alternative learning system programs via radio broadcast. It also discusses the Accreditation and Equivalency Program and Expanded Tertiary Education Equivalency and Accreditation Program which allow out-of-school youth and adults as well as working professionals to complete their basic education and earn a bachelor's degree through work experience equivalencies and without attending traditional schooling. The document provides details on how professional experience can be evaluated and converted to academic credits to accelerate degree completion.
Topic: KINDERGARTEN AND ELEMENTARY
Discussant: EMILY R. MARUNDAN
Subject: Politics and Economics of Educational
Professor: MARLO FIEL P. SULTAN, Ed.D
Bicol University Graduate School
The document outlines an accountability and continuous improvement framework with 5 indicators. It describes processes for clarifying roles and responsibilities of stakeholders, recognizing achievements based on collaborative performance systems, enhancing accountability mechanisms through community review, developing inclusive assessment criteria and tools, and conducting regular participatory performance assessments. For each indicator, it provides examples of evidence required at basic, intermediate, and advanced levels, such as terms of reference, meeting minutes, policies, reports, and documentation of reviews. The goal is for schools and communities to work together to clearly define roles, track progress, identify gaps, and refine plans through ongoing assessment and improvement efforts.
The Israeli education system faces challenges in integrating large influxes of immigrants from over 70 countries since 1948. It has developed special programs to teach Hebrew, Jewish history and train teachers for immigrant students. The government funds most schools, with higher expenditures on education than most OECD countries. The system includes state schools (majority), state-religious schools, Arab schools, independent religious schools and private schools. Enrollment has greatly increased since the 1950s. Higher education plays a key role in Israel's development, with over half of youth attending university. However, Arab students face resource gaps compared to Jewish students.
The document summarizes the Japanese occupation of the Philippines during World War II. It discusses how the Japanese implemented policies to promote Japanese culture and language in Philippine schools, including making Japanese classes and exams compulsory. However, the occupation only lasted about four years, not long enough to fully transform Filipino values and attitudes due to the brutal nature of the occupation. The abrupt transition from English to Japanese in schools damaged national identity as Filipinos learned another country's language instead of their own.
Philosophical and Sociological Foundations of Philippine Education System_PhD...Marlon Villaluz
The document provides an overview of the development of the Philippine education system from pre-colonial times through the present day K-12 program. It describes how the system was influenced by Spanish, American, and Japanese colonial rule, establishing formal schools and standardized curricula. The post-colonial system developed a trifocal structure overseen by different government agencies. The new K-12 program aims to strengthen early education, make the curriculum more relevant, and build proficiency in mother tongues and English/Filipino to better prepare students for tertiary education and compete globally.
Formative and summative assessments unit 3 revised without referencespbingham1
Formative assessments are used during instruction to provide feedback to students and teachers to help improve the learning process. Examples include reflective journals, questions and answers sessions, and feedback collected throughout a term. Summative assessments are used to evaluate student learning at the end of an instructional period by providing a grade. Examples include rubrics, exams, term papers and projects. Formative assessments focus on ongoing improvement while summative assessments make final judgments about student performance and program effectiveness. Both types of assessments have advantages and disadvantages for students and teachers. The document emphasizes the importance of providing descriptive feedback to students.
This document provides guidance on effective test design for language assessments. It discusses key considerations for tests including usefulness, validity, reliability, practicality, washback, authenticity and transparency. It also covers determining learning objectives, aligning assessments and instruction, and different types of test items for evaluating listening, reading, grammar, vocabulary and language functions. The document stresses the importance of ensuring tests are well-aligned with classroom instruction and reflect authentic language use. It also addresses controversial issues in language testing.
Categories of special education in michiganwenso1sm
This document categorizes and describes the different types of special education in Michigan. It outlines 13 categories: Cognitive Impairment, Emotional Impairment, Hearing Impairment, Visual Impairment, Physical Impairment, Other Health Impairment, Speech and Language Impairment, Early Childhood Development Delay, Specific Learning Disability, Severe Multiple Impairment, Autism Spectrum Disorder, Traumatic Brain Injury, and Deaf-Blind. For each category it provides a brief definition and some examples of conditions that may fall under that category.
Trends, issues and policies in philippine educationlaven ayala
The document discusses trends, issues, and policies in the Philippine education system. It provides a history of the Philippine education system from pre-Spanish era to present. It identifies problems in access to basic education, quality of basic education, and weaknesses in the public school system such as low budgets, teacher shortages, and classroom shortages. It also discusses policies to improve access and quality such as establishing schools in underserved areas and creating teaching positions to address teacher shortages.
Historical Foundation of Philippine CurriculumSer Karl
Historical Foundation of Philippine Curriculum:the contribution of the Philippine Presidents to the curricular reforms.
It includes changes from 3rd Republic, New Society until the present times.
This document is a school improvement plan for an unnamed school covering the school years 20xx-20xx. It includes an introduction, table of contents, and four chapters that outline the school's vision and values, current performance and improvement priorities, three-year action plan, and monitoring procedures. The plan was developed by a school planning team to address key areas for development and enhance the school's performance through specific projects and activities.
The document discusses language, literacy, and numeracy (LLN) skills and their importance in vocational training and assessment. It notes that each vocational area requires unique reading, writing, communication and numeracy tasks. Trainers must understand required LLN skills, model them, evaluate training materials for appropriate LLN levels, and identify learners needing assistance. Assessment tasks also need to be at an appropriate LLN level.
Historical perspective of the philippine educational systemGwenitz Ashly
The Philippine educational system has undergone major changes throughout history. During pre-Spanish times, education was informal and focused on vocational skills. When Spain colonized the Philippines, they replaced tribal tutors with Spanish missionaries and made education religion-focused and only for the elite. Several reforms gradually liberalized access to education. When the US took control after the Spanish-American War, they established a free public school system using English as the medium of instruction. The system grew to include high schools, technical schools, and the University of the Philippines. Reforms in the 20th century established departments of education and further restructured the system to focus on basic, technical/vocational, and higher education.
This document summarizes key Philippine laws related to education. It outlines the aims of the Philippine educational system and defines the different levels of formal education, including elementary, secondary, and tertiary education. It also describes specialized educational services like work education, special education, and non-formal education. Finally, it provides an overview of R.A. 4670, also known as the Magna Carta for Public School Teachers, which aims to improve the conditions of public school teachers.
ALCANTARA_HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF CURRICULUM IN THE PHILIPPINESKristineMaeAlcantara
The document provides a historical overview of the curriculum in the Philippines from pre-Spanish times to the present. It traces the evolution of the education system and curriculum under different ruling regimes, including the Spanish, American, Japanese, and post-WWII periods. Key developments include the introduction of Christianity and the Spanish language under Spanish rule, the establishment of a public school system and use of English under American rule, the promotion of Japanese culture and language under Japanese occupation, and the implementation of a K-12 program in recent decades.
A STUDY ON THE FACTOR OF STUDENT ABSENTEEISM AT FACULTY OF BUSINESS, UNISEL S...Nisha Ambalan
This document provides an introduction and background to a study on student absenteeism at the Faculty of Business in UNISEL Shah Alam. It discusses the problem of increasing absenteeism among students and the need to investigate the factors influencing it. The objectives of the study are to identify the factors affecting absenteeism, determine which gender is most affected, and provide suggestions to improve attendance. A literature review is presented covering definitions of key terms like absenteeism and its impacts on student performance and grades. Various studies linking absenteeism to lower exam scores, class participation, and effects on group work are summarized.
School attendence is a prerequite for a student in universial secondary educa...Komakech Robert Agwot
The study explored the effects of students’ absenteeism on student academic and school performance in Uganda. The study also assessed the effectiveness of class attendance monitoring tool; the challenges faced by the school administration in dealing with absentee student(s); and established the relationship between students’ absenteeism and academic performance of students. The relevant literature was reviewed to anchor the methodology and the findings. The study adopted descriptive cross-sectional survey design. A combination of stratified and purposive sampling was applied to accommodate the variety of respondents from Serere, Soroti, Kumi and Ngora districts in Teso sub-region; North Eastern Uganda. The study used questionnaires and interview schedules to collect primary data from 349 respondents who participated in the study out of the expected 384 obtained from a target population of 100,000 giving a response rate of 90.89%. The findings shows that the monitoring tools used for students’ attendance are effective (good) and there is a very positive relationship between student attendance and academic performance. The researcher also found that school attendance affects both the students and the school performance. To the students; it leads to poor academic performance, students drop out, graduating half-baked students, poor curriculum coverage and loss of interest in learning whist to the school; it affects the school image, lower the students’ enrollment, transfer of students by parents, wastage of teachers’ and administrators’ time and affects the university/tertiary enrolment. However, the school administration faces challenges of; interruption of lessons, students being hostile/belligerent to teachers, and parents defending their children whilst dealing with absenteeism students. The study also provides the practical and most effective strategies to improve students’ attendance. These staregies include; promoting Zero Tolerance to Students Absenteeism, parental involvement and participation, developing students’ mentoring programmes, improving “rich” student’s programmes, promoting guidance and counseling, promote good communication, reward students with regular attendance, and need to monitor and supervise school attendance. The researcher concludes that, to support students academically in and out of school; administrators, teachers, and families need to have a shared understanding of their children’s learning and work as partners to meet their academic and social-emotional needs.
Keywords: School Attendance, Academic Performance, Excused and Unexcused Absenteeism, Universal Secondary Education
Under the leadership of Mario R. Quiambao, the SDO-Nueva Ecija conducted various activities from April to June 2022 to support curriculum implementation, contextualization, learning and resource development, learning outcomes assessment, and technical assistance across 33 districts. Key activities included monitoring limited face-to-face classes, conducting focus group discussions, supporting contextualized learning materials, implementing intervention strategies, and providing research support to teachers. Overall, targets for activities were fully accomplished with analysis of challenges and lessons learned provided.
The document discusses the definition and purpose of professional ethics codes. It begins by defining ethics as norms, values and rules that guide good human behavior. It then discusses definitions of ethics from several experts and similar terms like morals. The rest of the document discusses the definition of teacher ethics codes, principles within ethics codes, and the purpose of developing ethics codes for professions.
Alternative learning system report [autosaved]Lilyvic Kalim
This document discusses alternative learning delivery modes and education programs in the Philippines. It describes the Radio-Based Instruction Program which delivers alternative learning system programs via radio broadcast. It also discusses the Accreditation and Equivalency Program and Expanded Tertiary Education Equivalency and Accreditation Program which allow out-of-school youth and adults as well as working professionals to complete their basic education and earn a bachelor's degree through work experience equivalencies and without attending traditional schooling. The document provides details on how professional experience can be evaluated and converted to academic credits to accelerate degree completion.
Topic: KINDERGARTEN AND ELEMENTARY
Discussant: EMILY R. MARUNDAN
Subject: Politics and Economics of Educational
Professor: MARLO FIEL P. SULTAN, Ed.D
Bicol University Graduate School
The document outlines an accountability and continuous improvement framework with 5 indicators. It describes processes for clarifying roles and responsibilities of stakeholders, recognizing achievements based on collaborative performance systems, enhancing accountability mechanisms through community review, developing inclusive assessment criteria and tools, and conducting regular participatory performance assessments. For each indicator, it provides examples of evidence required at basic, intermediate, and advanced levels, such as terms of reference, meeting minutes, policies, reports, and documentation of reviews. The goal is for schools and communities to work together to clearly define roles, track progress, identify gaps, and refine plans through ongoing assessment and improvement efforts.
The Israeli education system faces challenges in integrating large influxes of immigrants from over 70 countries since 1948. It has developed special programs to teach Hebrew, Jewish history and train teachers for immigrant students. The government funds most schools, with higher expenditures on education than most OECD countries. The system includes state schools (majority), state-religious schools, Arab schools, independent religious schools and private schools. Enrollment has greatly increased since the 1950s. Higher education plays a key role in Israel's development, with over half of youth attending university. However, Arab students face resource gaps compared to Jewish students.
The document summarizes the Japanese occupation of the Philippines during World War II. It discusses how the Japanese implemented policies to promote Japanese culture and language in Philippine schools, including making Japanese classes and exams compulsory. However, the occupation only lasted about four years, not long enough to fully transform Filipino values and attitudes due to the brutal nature of the occupation. The abrupt transition from English to Japanese in schools damaged national identity as Filipinos learned another country's language instead of their own.
Philosophical and Sociological Foundations of Philippine Education System_PhD...Marlon Villaluz
The document provides an overview of the development of the Philippine education system from pre-colonial times through the present day K-12 program. It describes how the system was influenced by Spanish, American, and Japanese colonial rule, establishing formal schools and standardized curricula. The post-colonial system developed a trifocal structure overseen by different government agencies. The new K-12 program aims to strengthen early education, make the curriculum more relevant, and build proficiency in mother tongues and English/Filipino to better prepare students for tertiary education and compete globally.
Formative and summative assessments unit 3 revised without referencespbingham1
Formative assessments are used during instruction to provide feedback to students and teachers to help improve the learning process. Examples include reflective journals, questions and answers sessions, and feedback collected throughout a term. Summative assessments are used to evaluate student learning at the end of an instructional period by providing a grade. Examples include rubrics, exams, term papers and projects. Formative assessments focus on ongoing improvement while summative assessments make final judgments about student performance and program effectiveness. Both types of assessments have advantages and disadvantages for students and teachers. The document emphasizes the importance of providing descriptive feedback to students.
This document provides guidance on effective test design for language assessments. It discusses key considerations for tests including usefulness, validity, reliability, practicality, washback, authenticity and transparency. It also covers determining learning objectives, aligning assessments and instruction, and different types of test items for evaluating listening, reading, grammar, vocabulary and language functions. The document stresses the importance of ensuring tests are well-aligned with classroom instruction and reflect authentic language use. It also addresses controversial issues in language testing.
Categories of special education in michiganwenso1sm
This document categorizes and describes the different types of special education in Michigan. It outlines 13 categories: Cognitive Impairment, Emotional Impairment, Hearing Impairment, Visual Impairment, Physical Impairment, Other Health Impairment, Speech and Language Impairment, Early Childhood Development Delay, Specific Learning Disability, Severe Multiple Impairment, Autism Spectrum Disorder, Traumatic Brain Injury, and Deaf-Blind. For each category it provides a brief definition and some examples of conditions that may fall under that category.
Trends, issues and policies in philippine educationlaven ayala
The document discusses trends, issues, and policies in the Philippine education system. It provides a history of the Philippine education system from pre-Spanish era to present. It identifies problems in access to basic education, quality of basic education, and weaknesses in the public school system such as low budgets, teacher shortages, and classroom shortages. It also discusses policies to improve access and quality such as establishing schools in underserved areas and creating teaching positions to address teacher shortages.
Historical Foundation of Philippine CurriculumSer Karl
Historical Foundation of Philippine Curriculum:the contribution of the Philippine Presidents to the curricular reforms.
It includes changes from 3rd Republic, New Society until the present times.
This document is a school improvement plan for an unnamed school covering the school years 20xx-20xx. It includes an introduction, table of contents, and four chapters that outline the school's vision and values, current performance and improvement priorities, three-year action plan, and monitoring procedures. The plan was developed by a school planning team to address key areas for development and enhance the school's performance through specific projects and activities.
The document discusses language, literacy, and numeracy (LLN) skills and their importance in vocational training and assessment. It notes that each vocational area requires unique reading, writing, communication and numeracy tasks. Trainers must understand required LLN skills, model them, evaluate training materials for appropriate LLN levels, and identify learners needing assistance. Assessment tasks also need to be at an appropriate LLN level.
Historical perspective of the philippine educational systemGwenitz Ashly
The Philippine educational system has undergone major changes throughout history. During pre-Spanish times, education was informal and focused on vocational skills. When Spain colonized the Philippines, they replaced tribal tutors with Spanish missionaries and made education religion-focused and only for the elite. Several reforms gradually liberalized access to education. When the US took control after the Spanish-American War, they established a free public school system using English as the medium of instruction. The system grew to include high schools, technical schools, and the University of the Philippines. Reforms in the 20th century established departments of education and further restructured the system to focus on basic, technical/vocational, and higher education.
This document summarizes key Philippine laws related to education. It outlines the aims of the Philippine educational system and defines the different levels of formal education, including elementary, secondary, and tertiary education. It also describes specialized educational services like work education, special education, and non-formal education. Finally, it provides an overview of R.A. 4670, also known as the Magna Carta for Public School Teachers, which aims to improve the conditions of public school teachers.
ALCANTARA_HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF CURRICULUM IN THE PHILIPPINESKristineMaeAlcantara
The document provides a historical overview of the curriculum in the Philippines from pre-Spanish times to the present. It traces the evolution of the education system and curriculum under different ruling regimes, including the Spanish, American, Japanese, and post-WWII periods. Key developments include the introduction of Christianity and the Spanish language under Spanish rule, the establishment of a public school system and use of English under American rule, the promotion of Japanese culture and language under Japanese occupation, and the implementation of a K-12 program in recent decades.
A STUDY ON THE FACTOR OF STUDENT ABSENTEEISM AT FACULTY OF BUSINESS, UNISEL S...Nisha Ambalan
This document provides an introduction and background to a study on student absenteeism at the Faculty of Business in UNISEL Shah Alam. It discusses the problem of increasing absenteeism among students and the need to investigate the factors influencing it. The objectives of the study are to identify the factors affecting absenteeism, determine which gender is most affected, and provide suggestions to improve attendance. A literature review is presented covering definitions of key terms like absenteeism and its impacts on student performance and grades. Various studies linking absenteeism to lower exam scores, class participation, and effects on group work are summarized.
School attendence is a prerequite for a student in universial secondary educa...Komakech Robert Agwot
The study explored the effects of students’ absenteeism on student academic and school performance in Uganda. The study also assessed the effectiveness of class attendance monitoring tool; the challenges faced by the school administration in dealing with absentee student(s); and established the relationship between students’ absenteeism and academic performance of students. The relevant literature was reviewed to anchor the methodology and the findings. The study adopted descriptive cross-sectional survey design. A combination of stratified and purposive sampling was applied to accommodate the variety of respondents from Serere, Soroti, Kumi and Ngora districts in Teso sub-region; North Eastern Uganda. The study used questionnaires and interview schedules to collect primary data from 349 respondents who participated in the study out of the expected 384 obtained from a target population of 100,000 giving a response rate of 90.89%. The findings shows that the monitoring tools used for students’ attendance are effective (good) and there is a very positive relationship between student attendance and academic performance. The researcher also found that school attendance affects both the students and the school performance. To the students; it leads to poor academic performance, students drop out, graduating half-baked students, poor curriculum coverage and loss of interest in learning whist to the school; it affects the school image, lower the students’ enrollment, transfer of students by parents, wastage of teachers’ and administrators’ time and affects the university/tertiary enrolment. However, the school administration faces challenges of; interruption of lessons, students being hostile/belligerent to teachers, and parents defending their children whilst dealing with absenteeism students. The study also provides the practical and most effective strategies to improve students’ attendance. These staregies include; promoting Zero Tolerance to Students Absenteeism, parental involvement and participation, developing students’ mentoring programmes, improving “rich” student’s programmes, promoting guidance and counseling, promote good communication, reward students with regular attendance, and need to monitor and supervise school attendance. The researcher concludes that, to support students academically in and out of school; administrators, teachers, and families need to have a shared understanding of their children’s learning and work as partners to meet their academic and social-emotional needs.
Keywords: School Attendance, Academic Performance, Excused and Unexcused Absenteeism, Universal Secondary Education
This document provides an overview of a research paper on the causes and costs of employee absenteeism. It includes an abstract, introduction, literature review, hypotheses, research methods, data analysis, findings, and conclusions. The research aims to identify the main causes of absenteeism, such as health problems, lack of benefits, and stressful work environments. A questionnaire will be administered to employees to collect primary data on their perceptions. The data will be analyzed using SPSS to understand what is driving absenteeism rates. Preliminary findings suggest age is not a major factor, as respondents were spread relatively evenly across different age groups. Absenteeism is found to cost companies money in lost wages, temporary replacement workers, and reduced productivity
Hi Friends
This is supa bouy
I am a mentor, Friend for all Management Aspirants, Any query related to anything in Management, Do write me @ supabuoy@gmail.com.
I will try to assist the best way I can.
Cheers to lyf…!!!
Supa Bouy
This study aimed to investigate factors that contribute to absenteeism among nursing students receiving bursaries in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. The author administered questionnaires to 126 bursary nursing students and analyzed the results. The study found that absenteeism occurred at all levels of training and was more common in clinical areas than at the college. Identified factors like escorting very ill patients without protection, working late shifts before time off, and being assigned to one work area without rotation impacted absenteeism. Stipend, transportation problems, and college factors did not significantly influence absenteeism rates. The study recommends examining the broader students' environment instead of solely focusing on students to address absenteeism challenges.
The document discusses a study on the relationship between employee satisfaction and work performance, absenteeism, and retention rates. The study examined these relationships through surveys and interviews of employees at a company. The results found a positive correlation between satisfaction and performance as well as commitment, though the relationship with absenteeism was less clear. Prior research also generally found positive correlations between satisfaction and commitment/performance as well as a link to turnover, though the link to performance was debated. The level of job complexity may also impact these relationships.
This document presents a research paper on using non-financial interventions to tackle challenges in achieving universal secondary education in Uganda. It outlines Uganda's education system and policies over time. Key challenges faced in enhancing access, quality and affordability include inadequate education budget allocation, surplus teachers, high teacher turnover, poor teacher quality, and subpar secondary schooling quality by international standards. The researcher aims to provide solutions to address these challenges through non-monetary means like improved management practices and curriculum reform.
Attitude of medical students towards the reasons of absenteeism in a medical ...iosrjce
IOSR Journal of Dental and Medical Sciences is one of the speciality Journal in Dental Science and Medical Science published by International Organization of Scientific Research (IOSR). The Journal publishes papers of the highest scientific merit and widest possible scope work in all areas related to medical and dental science. The Journal welcome review articles, leading medical and clinical research articles, technical notes, case reports and others.
This document outlines the objectives and methodology of a research study on student absenteeism. The study aimed to identify the key reasons for absenteeism by interviewing students, parents, teachers and administrators from several schools in Dhaka, Bangladesh. The researchers faced challenges in data collection due to political unrest, but were able to gather perspectives on absenteeism and recommendations to address it. The objectives were to understand reasons for truancy, examine stakeholder views, and identify solutions to reduce absenteeism rates in schools.
Absenteeism refers to habitual absence from an obligation such as work or school. There are four types of absenteeism: authorized, unauthorized, willful, and those caused by circumstances beyond one's control. Common causes include inability to understand consequences, personality traits, demographics, stress, and lack of interest. Consequences are both costs to individuals and institutions as well as poor student performance. Solutions include positive teacher motivation, incentives, monitoring, counseling, positive expectations, and interesting activities. The document concludes that cures should be tailored to individual cases as causes and consequences can vary significantly.
This document provides an abstract for a thesis that examines occupational wellness programs in the Cayman Islands and their impact on employee wellness, motivation, and absenteeism. The thesis uses questionnaires distributed to employers and employees in large tourism and financial firms to understand the types of wellness programs offered, their effectiveness, and impacts. Key findings indicate that occupational wellness programs are commonly used in large Cayman Islands workplaces and aim to improve health, prevent absenteeism, and increase productivity and motivation. The results provide human resources managers with information on effective wellness programs and their impacts on employees.
Absenteeism is when employees fail to report to work when scheduled. It is a major problem for organizations that can negatively impact production and costs. There are two types of absenteeism - innocent absenteeism which is beyond an employee's control, and culpable absenteeism which is within their control such as taking unapproved sick leave. The document outlines the scope, need, objectives and limitations of a study on absenteeism. It describes the research methodology including using a descriptive design, questionnaire, sample size of 150, and statistical tools like percentage analysis and chi-square test. Causes of absenteeism include personal, work environment, home life, economic, regional and organizational factors.
Absenteeism refers to employees failing to report to work when scheduled. It can be authorized, such as sick leave, or unauthorized. High absenteeism decreases productivity and increases costs. Common causes include personal issues, job dissatisfaction, stress, and transportation problems. Counseling can help employees address the root causes of their absenteeism by allowing them to make positive changes to their attitudes and behaviors. Employers should also implement measures like flexible scheduling, improved working conditions, benefits, and time off policies to reduce absenteeism.
Absenteeism, Destructive Workplace BehaviourCG Hylton Inc.
• Types of absenteeism: culpable, innocent: making the distinction
• Addressing the root causes of absenteeism to determine if it is a symptom of stress, burn-out, addictions etc.
• Proactive strategies and guidance to rectify the behaviour
• Attendance policy: tips and strategies
• Ignoring it won't make it go away: how to communicate expectations, policy and confront the issue
• Determining when termination is appropriate
A study of causes of students’ absenteeism in D.E.I. Educational Institutions...AMAR SHAKTI KUMAR
After research I have been found the causes of absenteeism and I have given suggestions for decrease it.
The causes of absenteeism are:-
1) Students don’t like timing of the class.
2) Students not interested in particular subject.
3) They don’t like instructor.
The entire study is based on primary data which have collected by filling questioner by all three study centers Students of B.com I Agra.
Student absenteeism is a major problem in Indian schools. The study explored the causes of absenteeism among 5th standard students in Delhi government schools and Kendriya Vidyalayas. It found that the main causes were illness, household responsibilities, financial difficulties forcing students to work or take care of siblings, distance to school, and lack of interest in school. Absenteeism negatively impacted students' learning and social development. To reduce absenteeism, factors like teacher training, curriculum reform, community involvement, and support for disadvantaged families must be addressed. However, the study had a small sample size and was limited to 5th grade students in government schools.
Drop out among pupils in rural primary schools in kenya the case of nandi nor...Alexander Decker
This document summarizes a study on pupil dropout in rural primary schools in Nandi North District, Kenya. The study aimed to identify the causes of dropout and strategies to address it. It found that the main causes of dropout were teenage pregnancy, repetition of grades, large family size, lack of motivation for school, parental negligence, peer influence, lack of teacher counselors, and early marriage. It also noted the factors leading to dropout differed between boys and girls. The study recommends that the government and stakeholders address dropout by strengthening policies on spending of funds for free primary education to benefit all children.
Socio Cultural Factors and Retention of Boy Child in Public Primary Schools i...ijtsrd
Retention in school has positive consequences for individuals throughout their lives. This study presents the current factors that contribute to retention of boy child in public primary school, with a view of getting possible solution for countering the problems that causes boy child not to retain in school. The purpose of the study was to investigate the influence of the socio cultural factors on retention of boy child in public primary schools in Turkana West Sub County. The research was guided by the classical liberal theory of equal opportunity. The research adopted a descriptive survey method. This design was considered appropriate because data was collected at one point in time across many individuals. The target population of the study comprised of 62 Head Teachers, 62 Deputy Head Teachers, 62 Senior Teachers and 62 Guidance and Counseling Teachers. The 14 Chiefs of Turkana West Sub County were also included as part of key informants in the study. Data was analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Scientists SPSS . Quantitative data collected was analyzed by use of descriptive statistics to generate percentages, means, standard deviations and frequencies. Inferential statistics was done using linear regression model. The study results were presented using tables and figures. The findings for the study demonstrated that socio cultural factors have a negative effects on boy child retention in public primary schools in Turkana West Sub County. Itao Erukudi Titus | Sarah Likoko | Jane Barasa "Socio-Cultural Factors and Retention of Boy Child in Public Primary Schools in Turkana West Sub-County, Kenya" Published in International Journal of Trend in Scientific Research and Development (ijtsrd), ISSN: 2456-6470, Volume-7 | Issue-4, August 2023, URL: https://www.ijtsrd.com/papers/ijtsrd59772.pdf Paper Url:https://www.ijtsrd.com/humanities-and-the-arts/education/59772/sociocultural-factors-and-retention-of-boy-child-in-public-primary-schools-in-turkana-west-subcounty-kenya/itao-erukudi-titus
THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC IMPACT ON CHILDREN’S EDUCATION IN DISADVANTAGED AND RUR...ijejournal
1) The COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted children's education in disadvantaged and rural areas of Indonesia. Over 1 in 3 children stopped learning altogether due to limited access to distance learning options.
2) Children who did access distance learning learned less and faced numerous challenges like difficulties managing time and understanding subjects without in-person teaching.
3) Access to necessary technologies for online learning was limited, with many children lacking internet access, computers, or smartphones. Offline alternatives like printed materials or teacher home visits brought their own challenges.
Parents and students perspectives of school culture effects on dropouts and n...Alexander Decker
This document summarizes a research study that examined the perspectives of parents and students regarding the effects of school culture on dropouts versus non-dropouts in Sokoto, Nigeria. The study aimed to determine if there are differences in how the four groups (parents of dropouts, parents of non-dropouts, dropouts, non-dropouts) view the impact of school culture. A survey was conducted with 1,560 total participants from the four groups and 30 junior secondary schools. Questionnaires were used to collect data, which was then analyzed using one-way analysis of variance to identify any significant differences between the four groups' perspectives on how school cultural factors influence dropout rates. The findings suggested school culture does impact dropout rates
Implications of Free Primary Education on KCPE Examinations Performance In Pu...paperpublications3
Abstract: The introduction of Free Primary Education in Kenya in 2003 increased enrolment from 5.9 million pupils to 7.6. By 2011, enrolment stood at 9.2 million pupils representing a 63% increase rate in nine years. It increased pupil to teacher ratio and pupil to textbook ratio. The Kenya certificate of primary education (KCPE) is crucial since it is the indicator of a child’s basic education. The objectives of the study were to: determine the effects of enrolment of pupils on KCPE examinations performance, determine the effects of pupil to teacher ratio on KCPE examinations performance, find out the effects of pupil to textbook ratio on KCPE examinations performance, determine whether there is any significant improvement of KCPE in public primary schools of Kemera Division after the introduction of FPE using a chi square analysis and find out the effects of physical facilities on KCPE examinations performance in public primary schools. The literature was reviewed using the sub themes from the objectives. The study used stratified random sampling and descriptive design. The instruments used were questionnaires, interview schedules, focused group discussions and observations checklist. The total target population was 18 primary schools, 8326 pupils, 204 teachers 18 Head teachers, 180 school committee members and 2 education officers. The total population sampled was 372.The target groups from whom data was collected were pupils of class 4-8, teachers, Head teachers, school committee members and educational officers in the Division. The sample size constituted of 250 pupils, 80 teachers, 30 committee members, 10 Head teachers and 2 education officers in the Division .The study found out that enrolment was high, schools had uneven distribution of teachers, pupil to textbook ratio was inadequate and physical facilities were not enough. Chi square analysis showed no significant improvement in KCPE performance in the schools of the Division after the introduction of FPE. The study recommended that disbursement of funds to be sent in time to cater for high enrolment, Teacher to pupil ratio to be improved, Pupil to textbook ratio to be at 1:1, physical facilities to be improved and these would bring quality education and good KCPE results. The results obtained would be useful in informing policy on the improvement of the KCPE performance in the Division.
Effects of poverty on children educational attainment in isua, akoko south ea...Alexander Decker
This document examines the effects of poverty on children's educational attainment in Isua, Akoko South East Local Government Area of Ondo State, Nigeria. It finds that a parent's level of education, role models, and independent income greatly influence children's educational attainment, while parental income and government policy do not. Poverty has increased school dropout rates and prevented access to education. The researchers recommend investing in formal and vocational education, improving governance of education, and involving local communities to increase enrollment and completion rates.
Influence of Pupil-teacher Ratio on Performance in Kenya Certificate of Prima...inventionjournals
The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence pupil-teacher ratio on KCPE performance in Kitise Division, Makueni County. The study used descriptive survey design. The target population comprised of 24 head teachers and 172 teachers. The sample for the study was 24 head teachers and 119 teachers. This study used questionnaires to collect data while descriptive statistics were used to analyze data. Findings revealed that high pupil-teacher ratio in the schools affected KCPE performance. Based on the findings of the study it is recommended that the government should employ more teachers to counteract the high number of pupils in schools so that performance can be improved. It is also recommended that the government should build more primary schools to decongest existing ones in Makueni County.
The study aimed to understand the problems facing out-of-school youth in Matnog, Sorsogon. It involved surveying 30 out-of-school youth using a questionnaire. The findings showed that 18 respondents attained secondary education, 6 were employed, and 4 attained tertiary education. The highest cost of education was reported as the major factor for respondents dropping out of school, followed by lack of regular transportation. Most respondents expressed willingness to continue their studies through the Department of Education's Alternative Learning System program. The study provides insight into how to help address the needs of out-of-school youth through education programs.
The Perception of Stakeholders’ on Academic Performance of Junior high Schoo...AI Publications
The study investigated stakeholders’ perception and academic performance of students in Junior High Schools (JHS), with hard evidence from the Choggu Circuit in the Sanarigu District. Simple stratified, proportional random sampling was used to select a sample size of 191, representing 20 percent of the total population of 36 teachers and the entire seven member School Management Committee (SMC) and Parent Teachers Association (PTA) executives of the schools involved. Questionnaire and interview schedule were the main instruments used to elicit responses. Data analysis and interpretation indicated that academic performance of JHS is perceived by stakeholders to be hampered by quality teacher delivery and inadequate / unavailability of educational resources. In the light of these findings, suggestions for improvement in the quality of teaching and learning were made.
The document evaluates the need for after-school care programs in disadvantaged South African communities like Khayelitsha and Hangberg. It finds that South African public schools often have unsafe environments, lack resources, and struggle with high dropout rates. Communities face issues like poverty, crime, and inadequate policing. After-school programs aim to provide support like counseling, mentorship, and safety training to address these challenges and help learners succeed. The evaluation recommends increased state funding and support for issues of education, safety, and social services in schools.
Effect Of Supervised Peer-Led Group Counselling Programme On Academic Achieve...iosrjce
Recent trends in global circumstances have focused on one goal of educating every child on the globe.
The growing problems of quality manpower shortages, international circumstances, and advancement in the
sciences, professional and specialized fields have contributed to the increasing awareness of the importance of
modifying academic achievement of underachieving students. In today’s society, according to Howard and
Solberg (2006), education is highly valued and a necessary prerequisite to becoming successful and
experiencing at least a moderately high quality of life as an adult. It is important to note that academic
achievements is very important to the adolescent population and as submitted by Marsh (1990) it is extremely
important given the correlation between school achievement and positive outcomes over the life span
Education is the yardstick for every country’s political and socio-economic development; which acts as a basis of reducing poverty and inequality by enabling the use of new technologies, creating and spreading knowledge. Despite the large inflows of donor financing and the Government of Uganda through the Ministry of Education and Sports; the sector for the last 29 years is still grappling to balance the increasing access with quality education in secondary schools. Therefore, the main objective of this article is to explore the new strategies the Ministry of Education and Sports can employ to increase access while improving the quality education in the country. The article is based on literature review and the author’s experience in education. The article examines the advantages of open schooling and reveals that the programme provides the fast-track options for retaining students; bringing dropouts and over-aged learners to school; reducing administrative costs and enabling young people to be effective in life. Furthermore, the researcher discusses the likely challenges of the programme and gives practical working solutions aimed at overcoming the challenges of implementing the programme in Uganda.
Key words: Open Schooling, Access to Education, Quality Education, Dropouts
This document summarizes an analysis of factors influencing educational attainment in Uganda using data from the 2005/06 Uganda National Household Survey. The analysis develops three regression models to examine the relationship between socioeconomic factors and educational attainment. The basic model relates years of schooling to variables like parents' education, employment hours, household duties, poverty, and pregnancy. For current students, an augmented model adds variables like school costs and distance. For non-students, reasons for non-attendance like distance and school quality are examined. The analysis finds parents' education, poverty, and urban/rural residence most strongly correlate with attainment, while distance effects are inconclusive due to data limitations. Distance and school quality appear to deter non
Saisi mengich and Mukoya Francis policy paper 29092016Willie Mengich
This document discusses factors that influence the retention of girls in secondary schools in Kenya, specifically in the Kwanza district of Trans Nzoia County. It finds that poverty, pregnancy, and distance from school are the most influential factors causing girls to drop out of secondary school according to respondents. The study aims to determine community and personal factors associated with low retention rates for girls. It employs a survey of 336 students, dropouts, headteachers and teachers to understand these influences on girls continuing their education.
Monitoring the implications of the global financial crisis on primary schools...UN Global Pulse
Executive summary of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) research: “Monitoring the Implications of the Global Financial Crisis on Primary Schools, Teachers and Parents in 12 Countries,” conducted as part of UN Global Pulse’s Rapid Impact and Vulnerability Assessment Fund (RIVAF). For more information: http://www.unglobalpulse.org/projects/rapid-impact-and-vulnerability-analysis-fund-rivaf
Academic Performance of the Grade VIII Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program 4P...YogeshIJTSRD
This document summarizes a study that assessed the academic performance of Grade VIII students in Dipolog City, Philippines who were beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps), a conditional cash transfer program. The study aimed to determine the students' demographic profiles, their levels of academic performance, factors affecting performance, and relationships between factors and performance. It found that students' academic performance was satisfactory based on their previous grades. However, the study concluded that there were no significant relationships found between the demographic factors, performance factors, and students' academic performance.
Academic Performance of the Grade VIII Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program 4P...YogeshIJTSRD
This study aimed to assess the academic performance of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program 4Ps beneficiaries of the Grade VIII Students in Dipolog City Division South District. To find out the significant relationship between the factors affecting the academic performance and the academic performance and final grade in the previous grade level of Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program 4Ps beneficiaries. Employing documentary, descriptive correlation method of research, frequency count, percentage, weighted mean, ANOVA and Pearson r from 181 students of Grade VIII in Dipolog City South District Dipolog City. On the other hand, results revealed that students academic performance was satisfactory in terms of the final grade in the previous grade level. A conclusive statement drawn based on the results of the research found no significant relationship between all factors affecting academic performance and the academic performance of 4Ps beneficiaries. Sarah Mae C. Aranas | Marilyn G. Barbaso | Genevieve Q. Bermudez | Joan Abigail N. Pelpinosas | Edelene A. Tecson "Academic Performance of the Grade VIII Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) Beneficiaries in Dipolog City Division South District" Published in International Journal of Trend in Scientific Research and Development (ijtsrd), ISSN: 2456-6470, Volume-5 | Issue-3 , April 2021, URL: https://www.ijtsrd.com/papers/ijtsrd40078.pdf Paper URL: https://www.ijtsrd.com/management/management-development/40078/academic-performance-of-the-grade-viii-pantawid-pamilyang-pilipino-program-4ps-beneficiaries-in-dipolog-city-division-south-district/sarah-mae-c-aranas
EFFECT OF CHILD ABUSE ON THE ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENT...ResearchWap
ABSTRACT
This project work focuses on the effects of child abuse on students’ academic performance. The study attempts to unravel the causes, effects and remedies to child abuse among secondary school students. It was carried out in Esan West Local Government Area of Edo State. A sample of 100 was randomly drawn from selected secondary schools in the local government and questionnaires were administered to the respondents. The mean percentage test, which was adopted in the study’s analysis, indicated that excessive battering of a child by parents/teacher/guidance; broken homes, child hawking before and after school and an unconducive learning environment are all causes of child abuse. Also, it was found that child abuse negatively affects a child’s school performance; such abused children are vulnerable to early pregnancy. Ill-treatment as well causes permanent and lifelong trauma, thereby making children develop low cognition of school subjects. The preaching of good morals by religious leaders to parents and guardians is part of the recommendations made in this study. Also, melting out punishment in form of fines on erring parents/guidance especially those forcing their children to hawk, and prevention from bad peer influence will help eliminate or reduce to the barest minimum the incidence of child abuse among secondary school students.
Repetition rates in public secondary schools in kericho district in relation ...Alexander Decker
This document summarizes a study that analyzed student repetition rates in public secondary schools in Kericho District, Kenya from 2004 to 2007. The study found that repetition rates were higher in day schools compared to boarding schools, in mixed-gender schools compared to single-sex schools, and in smaller schools compared to larger schools. Internationally, studies have found repetition rates to be a problem affecting internal efficiency in education systems. The objective of this study was to determine repetition levels according to school characteristics. It hypothesized that there would be differences in repetition rates between school regimes, school types, and school sizes.
Similar to Students' abesenteeism a silent killer of universal secondary education in uganda (20)
Uganda sesemat programme impact and challenges in its implementationKomakech Robert Agwot
ABSTRACT
The Secondary Science and Mathematics (SESEMAT) programme has been recognized as an effective tool
in enhancing the quality of teaching and learning science and mathematics in secondary schools. The
SESEMAT programme was introduced in 2005 with the purpose to improve the teaching ability of science
and mathematics teachers at secondary level; and to improve performance in those subjects. The main
objective of the study was to assess the impact of the SESEMAT programme on science and mathematics in
Uganda; a case study of Jinja district located in Eastern part of Uganda. It also found out the challenges of
implementing the SESEMAT programme. However, the study focused mainly on fifteen secondary schools
out of the 26 secondary schools in the district and the period under consideration was 2009-2013. The
researcher used a descriptive cross sectional survey, where data was collected at one point in time from a
cross-section of respondents. This was useful in the study because it involved collecting data from a
relatively large number of respondents from various schools in the district. Primary data was collected
mainly through in-depths interviews and self-administered questionnaires instruments. Both quantitative and
qualitative analyses were employed on data collected from 135 respondents.
The findings show that, the SESEMAT programme had the greatest impact on: improved teachers and
student’s attitudes towards science and mathematics; improved the performance of students in the national
examinations; and has developed/promoted practical teaching as thought by; as thought by the respondents
respectively. The study also discovered most challenges hindering the programme as: Time consuming;
inadequate science/ instructional materials; and high enrollment of students in class respectively. The
researcher recommends the policymakers, development partners and the government through the MoES to
ensure that, there is right balance of the teaching staff within a department; that the level of resources
provided for teaching is sufficient; reduce the teacher student ratio/ decongest the classes; and finally
recommends prospective researchers to assess the role of secondary science and mathematics education in
industrial and technological development; and a similar study to be conducted in other districts with a large
sample for comparison of the findings.
Key Words: SESEMAT Programme; In-Service Training; Universal Secondary Education
Using zero money to tackle the challenges of universal education in africa a ...Komakech Robert Agwot
ABSTRACT
Education is without a doubt, the sector that holds the key to transformational national development and our ability to compete in the global marketplace and it is singularly the sector that has experienced the worst type of decline in relation to standards, quality and value in Africa. However, the 1990 World Conference on Education for All launched in Jomtien, Thailand has rightly called attention to improving education through better management and expanded access to primary education systems with little attention to secondary education. Therefore, Government of Uganda through the Ministry of Education and Sports (MOES) with support from development partners introduced Universal Education in both primary and secondary schools throughout the country since 1997 and 2006 respectively. The intention was to remove barriers in education, provides flexible and responsive supports, and facilitates lifelong learning for all. Despite the fact that, the government continues to encourage families to send all their school going age children to Universal Secondary Education (USE) schools; the programme has not received the attention it deserves from either the public or the private sector in Uganda. Therefore, this theoretical paper seek to fill the existing long documented unequal academic achievement outcomes among children of different races, ethnic groups and social economic background in all regions of the country. This paper is organized in the following manner; Part I begins with a background and education systems of Uganda, while Part II discusses the major challenges the government is facing in enhancing access, quality and affordable education. Finally, Part III covers practical policy implications and Part IV gives concluding remarks with identified gaps for research.
Keywords: Zero Money, Universal Education, Secondary Education, Quality Education, Ghost Teachers
This document outlines the schedule for the Geneva Conference on National Transformation with a focus on science, technology, business, and industry. The conference will take place from October 5-7 and will feature presentations and panels on various topics. Day 1 will discuss foundations of science and technology and their application to agriculture. Day 2 will cover public policy, poverty elimination, education, and human trafficking. Day 3 will focus on the roles of small business and public policy in rural development and poverty alleviation. Climate change and its impacts will be discussed throughout, along with related technologies and funding. The conference aims to facilitate discussion on using science, technology, and policy to drive national transformation.
Intimacy is what we call the experience of really knowing and being known by another person.
An intimate friend is someone we feel very close to; they know us at a deep level. According to Oxford Advanced Learners Dictionary, (2015) Intimacy refers to the state of having close personal relationship with somebody.
Intimacy is not Spatial but Relational. We all know what it’s like to be sitting right next to a person with whom we feel distant and we can feel close to a person who is hundredths kilometers away.
To utter expressions of grief; to lament, (KJV Dictionary Definition). For instance Job said, in Job 7:11; … I will not keep silent; I will speak out in the anguish of my spirit; I will complain in the bitterness of my soul.
Similarly, we all have times where life crashes before our eyes. We all feel like we want to run and hide.
No matter how bad you have been hurt in your past, and no matter how many people have hurt you in your past BUT you must now learn to fully trust God with both yourself and with your entire life.
In early years, the computer science programmers developed the phrase “Garbage In, Garbage Out,” (GIGO). Meaning whatever you program into the computer is what you’re going to get out. Therefore, our minds work according to the GIGO principle. The kinds of things we watch, read, listen to and think about will affect the way we talk, feel, relate and live.
So think of that when we watch TV, read a book, or listen to music…Our minds work like computers where we are able to store unbelievable amounts of information for instance remembering student who bulled you, the reason why you were beaten ….
There is no general word for ‘time’ in the Old Testament nor are there specific words for the categories of ‘Past,’ ‘Present,’ or ‘Future.’ The Hebrew word most commonly translated as ‘time’ is ayt, which really refers to the instant or duration of time during which something occurs (1Samuel 9:16; Ecclesiastes 3:1-8; Ezra 10:13; 2 Chronicles 24:11).
Education is the yard stick for every country’s political and socio-economic development; which act as a basis of reducing poverty and inequality by enabling the use of new technologies, creating and spreading knowledge. Despite the large inflows of donor financing and the Government of Uganda through the Ministry of Education and Sports; the sector for the last 29 years is still grappling to balance the increasing access with quality education in secondary schools. Therefore, the main objective of the paper was to explore the new strategies the Ministry of Education and Sports can employ to increase access while improving quality education in the country. The paper also examined the advantages of open schooling and revealed that the programme provides the fast tract options for retaining students; bring dropouts and over-aged learners to school; reducing administrative costs and will enable young people to be effective in live. Furthermore, the researcher discusses the likely challenges of the programme and gave practical working solutions aimed at overcoming the challenges of the programme implementation in Uganda.
1) The speaker argues that focusing inwardly on our own desires and ambitions will not reveal our life's purpose, which is found through responding to God's call for service.
2) God calls even fearful people like Jeremiah and Moses to do his work, empowering them through their weaknesses. Christians should serve those in need rather than only those above them.
3) To transform the world as a Christian, one must develop concern for God and people, commitment to God's mission, consistency in dealing with others, and credibility through honesty, accountability, and being trustworthy over time.
The document discusses the importance of forgiveness according to Christian teachings. It summarizes that forgiveness is required in the Lord's Prayer and is mentioned in both the Gospels of Matthew and Luke. Forgiveness means releasing others from debts or sins against you. The document provides steps for forgiveness, such as not waiting for an apology, forgiving from the heart without excusing harmful behaviors, and choosing to forgive through an act of will rather than feeling. Forgiveness is presented as a gift that frees oneself from bitterness rather than a punishment against others. People are encouraged to forgive seventy times seven and let go of judgments.
How to Add Chatter in the odoo 17 ERP ModuleCeline George
In Odoo, the chatter is like a chat tool that helps you work together on records. You can leave notes and track things, making it easier to talk with your team and partners. Inside chatter, all communication history, activity, and changes will be displayed.
Thinking of getting a dog? Be aware that breeds like Pit Bulls, Rottweilers, and German Shepherds can be loyal and dangerous. Proper training and socialization are crucial to preventing aggressive behaviors. Ensure safety by understanding their needs and always supervising interactions. Stay safe, and enjoy your furry friends!
How to Manage Your Lost Opportunities in Odoo 17 CRMCeline George
Odoo 17 CRM allows us to track why we lose sales opportunities with "Lost Reasons." This helps analyze our sales process and identify areas for improvement. Here's how to configure lost reasons in Odoo 17 CRM
Exploiting Artificial Intelligence for Empowering Researchers and Faculty, In...Dr. Vinod Kumar Kanvaria
Exploiting Artificial Intelligence for Empowering Researchers and Faculty,
International FDP on Fundamentals of Research in Social Sciences
at Integral University, Lucknow, 06.06.2024
By Dr. Vinod Kumar Kanvaria
MATATAG CURRICULUM: ASSESSING THE READINESS OF ELEM. PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHERS I...NelTorrente
In this research, it concludes that while the readiness of teachers in Caloocan City to implement the MATATAG Curriculum is generally positive, targeted efforts in professional development, resource distribution, support networks, and comprehensive preparation can address the existing gaps and ensure successful curriculum implementation.
Executive Directors Chat Leveraging AI for Diversity, Equity, and InclusionTechSoup
Let’s explore the intersection of technology and equity in the final session of our DEI series. Discover how AI tools, like ChatGPT, can be used to support and enhance your nonprofit's DEI initiatives. Participants will gain insights into practical AI applications and get tips for leveraging technology to advance their DEI goals.
A workshop hosted by the South African Journal of Science aimed at postgraduate students and early career researchers with little or no experience in writing and publishing journal articles.
How to Build a Module in Odoo 17 Using the Scaffold MethodCeline George
Odoo provides an option for creating a module by using a single line command. By using this command the user can make a whole structure of a module. It is very easy for a beginner to make a module. There is no need to make each file manually. This slide will show how to create a module using the scaffold method.
This slide is special for master students (MIBS & MIFB) in UUM. Also useful for readers who are interested in the topic of contemporary Islamic banking.
it describes the bony anatomy including the femoral head , acetabulum, labrum . also discusses the capsule , ligaments . muscle that act on the hip joint and the range of motion are outlined. factors affecting hip joint stability and weight transmission through the joint are summarized.
Students' abesenteeism a silent killer of universal secondary education in uganda
1. International Journal of Education and Research Vol. 2 No. 10 October 2014
417
STUDENTS’ ABSENTEEISM: A SILENT KILLER OF UNIVERSAL
SECONDARY EDUCATION (USE) IN UGANDA
Robert Agwot Komakech* & John Robert Osuu
Teaching Assistant in the Department of Business Studies
Faculty of Social Sciences and Management Studies, Kumi University
P.O BOX 178, Kumi, Uganda (East Africa); Tel: +256 774 181 052/+256 752 181 052
E-mail (Corresponding): kagwot@gmail.com
ABSTRACT
Education has a huge impact on any human society and it can safely be assumed that no society is
optimally functional until it is properly educated. In the global perspective, it is an undeniable fact
that the progress of a nation is very much dependent on the education of its citizens. Similarly, in
Uganda education is a fundamental human right and it is the duty of the state to promote free and
compulsory education to the citizens. This constitutional mandate gave birth to free education from
primary to secondary under Universal Primary Education (UPE) and Universal Secondary
Education (USE) since 1997 and 2007 respectively. The purpose of this study was to investigate the
major causes of students’ absenteeism; and the possible solutions to the vices in Universal
Secondary Education Schools in Uganda. The study applied a descriptive cross sectional research
design. The study also employed both qualitative and quantitative approaches/methods. Data was
collected using secondary and primary sources. Secondary sources consisted of publications, reports
and literature related to students’ absenteeism whist primary data was collected using questionnaires
and interviews. The collected data was analyzed using descriptive statistics from the study
population of one thousand (1000) constituting a sample of 278 respondents of which 226 returned
their fully completed questionnaires giving a response rate at 81.3%; obtained from 17 out of 36
USE schools in the four (4) districts of Serere, Ngora, Soroti and Kumi comprised of 07, 04, 03, and
03 USE schools respectively. The four districts were considered because they have all categories of
secondary schools in Uganda.
The study findings showed that; Lack of scholastic requirements, household work, lack of interest
in education, hunger at school/lack of mid-day meals, sexual harassment at school, long distance to
school, illness or disease, loss of parent or close relative, peer influence, and harsh punishment at
school were the top ten (10) causes of students’ absenteeism in USE schools respectively. These
causes were both un excused (64.5%) and excused (35.5%). Furthermore, the empirical study also
shows that; the average rate of students’ absenteeism is 23.18% in day schools as compared to
3.25% in boarding schools. The mainly affected categories were; children from poor families,
children living far from school, female students, orphans, disabled, male students, and children
living with single parent as reported by the respondents during the study. The study recommends
that; parents understand their responsibility, government reduces taxes on scholastics
materials/provides them free, improve the household income, the government and development
partners to support school feeding programme, need to introduce open schooling system, and
schools be held accountable for improving attendance, and finally, future researchers should
examine the relationship between the District Education Officers and Secondary Schools
2. ISSN: 2201-6333 (Print) ISSN: 2201-6740 (Online) www.ijern.com
418
Administration; Teacher qualification and students’ academic performance, and Effects of students
absenteeism on students’ academic/school performance.
Key Words: Students, Absenteeism, Education, Universal Secondary Education (USE), Uganda
1.0 Brief History of Universal Secondary Education (USE) in Uganda
Following the introduction of Universal Primary Education (UPE) in 1997, enrolment in
primary schools has risen from 2.7 million to over 7.6 million pupils, Juuko et al., (2007).
This mass increase in enrolment at primary level had very serious implications as they
transited to the next level of education in terms of the number of students that sought admission
into secondary by 2003. This prompted the sector to undertake a series of studies which culminated
into the development of the Universal Post Primary Education and Training (UPPET) Strategy
2003. The strategy provided a number of policy options to government on how to enhance
access to secondary education as a way of sustaining the gains under the UPE programme.
In light of the above, the adoption of Universal Secondary Education (USE) in 2007 highlights
some of the success stories in the sub-sector as stipulated in the Uganda Education Statistical
Abstract, 2009 that include but not limited to: USE has subsequently increased the transition
rate from P7 to S1 by 22% from 46.9% to 68.6% and enrolment at secondary education
increased from 814,087, 954,328, and 1,187,785 in 2006, 2007 and 2011 respectively in secondary
schools of which 689,541 students are on USE programme, MoES: Uganda Education Statistical
Abstract, 2011). In 2012, 2013 and 2014; the total enrolment in USE schools increased by 9.04%
from 689,541 to 751,867; 7.3% from 751,867 to 806,992 and 8.2% 806,992 to 873,476 respectively
as highlighted in the MoES sector annual performance report for financial year 2013/2014. In
addition, the sector has also made strides in recruiting some of the teachers required and provision
of facilities in 38 sub-counties without any form of secondary school in the country. Furthermore,
the number of schools receiving government funding increased from 30.8% in 2010 to 56.2% in
2011. This is as a result of government’s continued partnership with the private sector in the
implementation of USE, (MoES: Uganda Education Statistical Abstract, 2011). Looking at
secondary school enrollment by grade and gender in 2010, whereas the number of S1 students was
324,000, the numbers of S2-S4 students decreased by 10-15% and the number of S4 students was
220,000. The number of S5 and S6 students was 79,000 and 68,000 respectively, falling to around
20% of the number of S1 students. In all grades, the number of enrolled boys exceeded the number
of enrolled girls, and this disparity was especially large in S4 according to MoES: Uganda
Education Statistical Abstract 2010 as cited by JICA, 2012 report.
3. International Journal of Education and Research Vol. 2 No. 10 October 2014
419
Figure 1: Trend of Secondary Education Enrollment by Gender from 2004 to 2014
Source: MoES: Education Management Information System, 2014
Although considerable evidence has been collected on increasing rates of student enrolment in
schools across the world, most education systems in developing countries do not collect or analyse
attendance data on a consistent basis. In the absence of reliable data, there is little definitive
information, (Teachers’ Union, April 2010). However, periodic studies and anecdotal observations
in many countries particularly Uganda show that ‘enrolled’ students are frequently not in school.
Throughout the 1970s, American high school principals consistently identified poor attendance as
the major problem facing secondary school administrators. But rather than define poor attendance,
studies concentrated on examining factors associated with it, Rothman, (2001). Wright, (1978) as
cited by Rothman, 2001; analyses secondary school-level data in Virginia, surveying schools on
their attendance rates and aspects of the curriculum, organisation and staff. The researcher found
statistically significant differences by location: urban schools had the lowest attendance rates, then
suburban schools; and schools in other areas had the highest attendance rates. Within these
geographical groupings, different factors were related to attendance rates, including subject
offerings (electives), work programs for school and age of the teaching staff as added by Wright,
(1978). In addition, DeJung & Duckworth, (1986) study reported students’ absenteeism rates for the
whole-day as; 4.4 per cent for the larger district and 2.8 per cent for the smaller. The researchers
also asked students why they were absent from individual class periods; 20 per cent of students
stated that they had “other things to do,” rather than attend school for a day; illness and personal
problems accounted for less than 10 per cent of absences. Rothman, (2001) states that; students with
very high absence rates identified parties, drugs and a general dislike of school for most of their
absences.
Furthermore, Peters & Kethley, (2002) found that class attendance did not affect students’
examinations performance. In contrast, Marburger, (2001) reveals that students who missed on a
given day were significantly more likely to respond incorrectly to the questions relating to material
covered that day than students who were present. Contributing to the same debate, Reid, (2005)
agrees that; when students are absent from school, there are a wide range of short term educational
4. ISSN: 2201-6333 (Print) ISSN: 2201-6740 (Online) www.ijern.com
420
consequences that they face; first and foremost, students miss out on assignments and as a result,
they are more likely to underachieve or perform poorly. Durden & Ellis, (2003) found that class
attendance and motivation were related; and they notes that if motivation is not controlled for, the
effect of absence from class on performance may be overstated.
1.2 Statement of the Problem
Uganda is currently implementing a policy for USE to increase development and sustain the gains
in enrollment provided by UPE, in an attempt to decrease poverty and meet the Millennium
Development Goals (MDGs). The USE policy has considerably improved the enrollment rates
to public secondary schools from poor households, however, there are still lots more to be done to
improve the quality of secondary education in Uganda.
Despite, the governments’ effort to provide tuition, teachers, infrastructure and instructional
materials to USE participating schools, students’ absenteeism is an alarming problem for
administrators, teachers, parents and the society in general. However, there have been many studies
on the problem worldwide, considerable knowledge gaps exists on the subject in Uganda because
many of the available studies were conducted on teachers’ absenteeism; causes of drop outs in
primary schools; and teachers’ support for the USE programme. It is in this light that this study was
carried out to investigate the causes of students’ absenteeism; and finding the possible solutions to
students’ absenteeism in Universal Secondary Education in Uganda.
2.3 The Purpose of the Study
The main purpose of the study was to investigate the major causes of students’ absenteeism in
Universal Secondary Education schools in Uganda.
1.3 Significance of the Study
The significance of the study includes:
i. Since the USE policy is relatively new in Sub-Sahara Africa, not many surveys or
researches have been done evaluating the efficiency and effectiveness of the policy, thus
the study findings will be deemed useful to the professionals, researchers, students, and the
Ugandan Government in educational planning policy so as to formulate policies which can
benefit poor students or apply stiff penalties to parent/ and student against those who absent
themselves or are involved in manual work during class hours.
ii. The results of this study may also provide suggestions to policy makers at the Ministry of
Education and Sports (MoES) in Uganda to come up with interventions that will enhance
students’ retention in schools.
iii. The teachers as street bureaucrats will also use the findings to assist the parents and the
students to ensure that they complete secondary education and proceed onto higher
institutions of learning for professional course(s) in larger numbers.
iv. The findings would also be useful to political leaders, parents, students and community at
large since they contribute to educational resources hence they would work, hand in hand, in
promoting internal efficiency of educational system by eradicating those factors that would
lead to absenteeism of their children from school.
v. Finally, although the focus of this current study was Uganda, the findings provide an
important reference material for those implementing similar policy or intending to replicate
USE policy.
5. International Journal of Education and Research Vol. 2 No. 10 October 2014
421
2.0 Literature Review
This section examines and summarizes the literature that relate to study. The literature was obtained
from secondary sources such as; text books, journals, research papers and reports.
2.1.0 Absenteeism Defined
Absenteeism, according to Merriam-Webster dictionary means chronic absence. In the context of
the school it is the habitual or intentional failure from going to school. Absenteeism cannot be
denied because every now and then, students may miss some school activities and lessons and it
becomes a problem if the student is away from school for many days. According to Balfanz &
Byrnes, (2012); chronic absenteeism is typically based on total days of school missed, including
both excused and unexcused absences. The authors add that, chronic absenteeism is often defined
as missing 10 percent or more of school days; in practical terms this translates into 18 days a year;
on the other hand missing 20 percent or more of school, 40 or more days, is defined as severely or
excessively chronically absent. In this regard, chronic absenteeism is not the same as truancy.
Thus, truancy is typically defined as a certain number or certain frequency of unexcused absences
as suggested by, Balfanz & Byrnes, (2012). However, the State Board of Education (2013) states
that; a student is considered to be “in attendance” if present at his/her assigned school, or an activity
sponsored by the school (e.g., field trip), for at least half of the regular school day. Therefore, a
student who is serving an out-of-school suspension or expulsion should always be considered
absent. The State Board of Education, (2013) adopted definitions for excused and unexcused
absences for use by schools and districts in order to implement the statutory policies and procedures
concerning truants, and the reporting of truancy offers the three forms students’ absenteeism:
2.1.1 Excused Absences
A student’s absence from school shall be considered excused if written documentation of the reason
for the absence has been submitted within ten school days of the student’s return to school and
meets the following criteria:
A. For absences one through nine, a student’s absences from school are considered excused when
the student’s parent/guardian approves such absence and submits appropriate documentation; and
B. For the tenth absence and all absences thereafter, a student’s absences from school are
considered excused for the following reasons:
1. Student illness (All student illness absences must be verified by an appropriately licensed
medical professional to be deemed excused, regardless of the length of absence);
2. Student’s observance of a religious holiday;
3. Death in the student’s family or other emergency beyond the control of the student’s family
such as: family member who is very ill and close to dying, student’s home is lost to fire or
eviction, family’s home being quarantined, natural disaster, a student who is a parent and
whose child needs to go to the hospital, or a family member’s military deployment or return
from deployment. Some unexpected absences will not qualify as an emergency include:
staying home to meet the plumber or other tradesman, routine childcare of a younger child
by the student, or opportunity to work an extra shift at afterschool job.
4. Mandated court appearances (additional documentation required such as a police summons,
a notice to appear, a subpoena, a signed note from a court official);
5. The lack of transportation that is normally provided by a school other than the one the
student attends (no parental documentation is required for this reason); or
6. ISSN: 2201-6333 (Print) ISSN: 2201-6740 (Online) www.ijern.com
422
6. Extraordinary educational opportunities pre-approved by district or school administrators
and in accordance with Connecticut State Department of Education guidance must meet the
following criteria: The opportunity must be educational in nature; it must have a learning
objective related to the student’s course work or plan of study; it must be an opportunity not
ordinarily available to the student; it must be grade and developmentally appropriate; and
the content of the experience must be highly relevant to the student.
2.1.2 Unexcused Absences
A student’s absence from school shall be considered unexcused unless they meet one of the
following criteria: The absence meets the definition for an excused absence (including
documentation requirements); and the absence meets the definition of a disciplinary absence.
2.1.3 Disciplinary Absences
Absences that are the result of school or district disciplinary action are excluded from these
definitions. It is important to note that while the first nine absences in a school year can be deemed
excused for any reason the parent or guardian provides, the 10th
and each subsequent absence
establish a more stringent and specific set of reasons for the absence to qualify as excused. The
figure 2 offers a visual tool to help determine if an absence is excused or unexcused. In cases where
a student’s extended absence crosses levels, the rules should be applied as if there were two separate
absences, one under Level 1 and the other under Level 2. For example, if a student is absent for
five days on a family vacation and those absences represent numbers seven through 11, absences
seven, eight, and nine would fall under Level 1 rules and can be accepted as excused; absences 10
and 11 would fall under Level 2 rules and would not be considered excused.
Figure 2: The Decision Flow Chart Showing the Excused or Unexcused Absence
Source: Adopted from the State Board of Education, April 2013
7. International Journal of Education and Research Vol. 2 No. 10 October 2014
423
2.2 Causes of Students’ Absenteeism in Secondary Schools
Periodic studies and anecdotal observations in many countries show that ‘enrolled’ students are
frequently not in schools. These are sometimes caused by the following factors:
Balfanz & Byrnes, (2012) assert illness as the major cause of student absenteeism in secondary
schools. Annual colds, flu, and assorted other childhood ailments clearly contribute to school
absenteeism, but they are not the genesis of chronic absenteeism. In their most recent federal
survey, whose results indicate fewer than 6 percent of children miss more than 11 days due to
illness or injury. The authors further state that, acute health conditions are fortunately rare, and there
are few chronic conditions that cannot be appropriately managed to enable school attendance. In
practice, however, particularly in high-poverty areas, the medical care needed to enable students
with chronic conditions, such as asthma, to attend school regularly are not always available at the
scale and intensity required, (Balfanz & Byrnes, 2012). This study agrees with Ubogu as cited by
Shahzada, et al., (2011); whose findings identify illness, permitted leave, voluntary absenteeism, as
the common forms/causes of absenteeism. In addition, Mervilde, (1981) also reveals that; family
health or financial concerns, poor school environment, drug and alcohol use, transportation
problems, and differing community attitudes towards education are all conditions that can cause a
child not to attend school. This kind of situation is not conducive for a child study. Therefore, the
concern of this study is to establish whether students’ absenteeism is attributed to the same factor or
not and find its percentage level in Uganda.
In addition, Balfanz & Byrnes, (2012) says; family obligations also make some students not go to
school. As children enter early adolescence, family responsibilities can keep them from school. In
high poverty environments, young adolescent girls sometimes provide emergency day care for
younger siblings or are responsible for getting younger children to school. This rhyme well with
Wadesango, et al., (2011) study which found that; students experience absenteeism that has a socio-
economic character which makes them to seek for part-time employment, general upkeep, tuition
fees, and renting fees instead of applying themselves fully to their studies. Plank, et al, as cited by
Balfanz & Byrnes, (2012) adds that; there is a growing evidence of even young adolescents taking
on elder care responsibilities in single parent, multi generational households. Adolescents,
moreover, are sometimes pulled into helping with the family business or working to enable family
or personal survival. In other cases, they are compelled or lured into illegal activities. Students who
become involved in the juvenile justice system then often miss additional days of schools while
being detained, going to court, and transitioning back into school. It is against this background that,
this empirical study is sought to investigate the main family obligations deterring students from
attending classes regularly in USE schools in Uganda.
Williams, (2000) mentions that; schools, their curricula, and the strength of sanctions against
chronic absenteeism are also contributing causes to students’ absenteeism in schools. Kilpatrick,
1996; Lotz & Lee, 1999; Khazzaka, 1997, assert that; lack of challenging/interesting course work
and curriculum are also reasons for student non-attendance. In support, Fleming, (1995) study,
alludes that, the major reasons given by students for non-attendance at lessons were poor teaching
(23%), timing of the lesson (23%) and poor quality of the lesson content (9%). Teasley, (2004) also
asserts that students that have poor or conflicting relationships with teachers will avoid school in
order to avoid their teachers. Thus, this research study is therefore concerned to find the percentage
level of the teacher cause factor of student absenteeism in Uganda.
8. ISSN: 2201-6333 (Print) ISSN: 2201-6740 (Online) www.ijern.com
424
In another study by Lotz, et al and Dryburgh as cited by Williams, (2000), addressing truancy
behavior, the researcher reveals the desire to participate in hedonistic activities and socialization
with peers away from school provide other explanations for high absenteeism. Wadesango, et al.,
(2011) also alludes that, the motivation for their absenteeism from classes was the need to be with
their friends and peers. Furthermore, Reid, (2005) asserts that, truant individuals are influenced by
their peers not to attend school and encourage peers to engage in activities outside of the school
with them. It is hoped that the findings of the present study will determine the level of peers
influence on absenteeism from school.
According to Unger et al, (1997), students who participate in co-operative work experiences
actually have a higher rate of absenteeism. While the cause for this occurrence is not conclusive, the
researchers point out two possible explanations that is: students who already exhibit absenteeism
might be attracted to the programs in order to leave school and thus have more days of non-
attendance; and students in co-operative programs might disassociate themselves more from the
school setting since they are experiencing the world of work, and older students who participate
may have access to their own transportation and find it easier to be absent. This finding is in
agreement with Wadesango, et al., (2011) who further states that; students attendance are
sometimes affected as they had to fulfill their work related obligations and provides for their needs
since they are from poor family background. Therefore, this research is sought to bring conclusion
on how co-operative work causes student absenteeism in Uganda.
Furthermore, students absent themselves because of factors ranging from poor teaching styles by
teachers, boring teachers, lessons being too long, and the teacher shows favoritism to certain
students as critical lecturer characteristics that predispose them towards absenteeism or non-
attendance, as suggested by Wadesango, et al., (2011). These findings are consistent with findings
made by Williams, (1999) and Weller, (1996) in respect of education in Britain. Their studies
revealed that demeaning teacher attitudes often lead to school avoidance by students. Wadesango, et
al., (2011) says, many students do not attend core learning sessions due to other pressing study
related activities that they will be doing. The authors mentioned several activities that are having a
bearing on students’ non-attendance for lectures, chief among them; being the need to work on
assignments, completing assigned projects, researching in the library, preparing for presentations
and studying for pending tests. Therefore, much as they may like to attend their lectures or related
learning sessions, they end up not able to do so due to competing educational issues that demand
attention. However, Durden & Ellis, (2003) found that class attendance and motivation were
related; and they notes that if motivation is not controlled for, the effect of absence from class on
performance may be overstated.
Shahzada, et al., (2011) argued that; harsh school rules and regulations could cause absenteeism that
is; corporal punishment, families where students prepare themselves for school and parent to work.
In addition, in an article by Clea McNeely and colleagues in the Journal of School Health (2004),
the Add Health study found that when schools have harsh or punitive discipline policies, students
feel less connected to school. However, it was unclear whether the more restrictive school policies
are a response to a high number of disconnected students and their behavior problems, or whether
punitive discipline policies alienate students from school. Balfanz & Byrnes, (2012) study also
reveals that, students who are forced to leave school, either through suspension, expulsion, or being
sent to an alternative school, are not likely to increase their connectedness to or engagement with
9. International Journal of Education and Research Vol. 2 No. 10 October 2014
425
school. The research study therefore, assessed the extent to which harsh school rules and regulations
could cause absenteeism in schools.
Lotz & Lee, (1999), asserts that, mostly of the adolescents today receive less supervision than in the
past. The contributing factors to chronic absenteeism involve parental and school-based
responsibility. In many cases, parents actually condone the absence by ignoring excuses when no
valid reason is apparent for their children’s absence from school, Kilpatrick, (1996); Stickney &
Miltenberger, (1996). In contrary, Williams, (1999) says, forcing older students to remain in school
when they are not motivated will only increase their absenteeism.
Others avoid school for lack of clean or appropriate clothes, Balfanz & Byrnes, (2012). Sometimes
it is rain, snow or cold combined with the lack of the necessary clothing, especially for students who
take public transportation with multiple connections. Balfanz & Byrnes, further stipulates that; poor
planning, family needs, or unpredictable transportation lead to students being late and they stay
away from school altogether to avoid the hassle and sometimes the sanctions associated with
tardiness. King & Bernstein, (2001) points out that, students’ psychological traits have an enormous
influence over their daily decisions regarding whether to attend or skip school. Since this findings
was from other countries, it prompted the researcher to conduct a similar study in Uganda to
investigate whether what has been said by the above authors are really the contributing factors to
students absenteeism in USE schools in Uganda.
According to Enomoto, (1997), when students perceive that teachers do not care enough to follow
up on absences, their motivation for attendance is not high. Lotz & Lee, (1999) corroborates;
students negative self-image and low self-esteem as reasons for non-attendance. In addition,
Balfanz & Byrnes, (2012) postulates that, students choose not to attend, either because they or their
parents or guardian do not see the value in school attendance or they have something else they
would rather be doing; they have the agency and ability to skip school to do it since they are not
being deterred by anything specific. Chang & Romero, (2008) research findings elaborate that,
choosing not to attend school on a regular basis begins early in a child’s formal education when
some parents do not yet see the importance of their child being in school every day. For others, it
takes a while to establish a family routine that enables regular school attendance. By conducting this
study, the researcher is set to find out interest from parents or guardian is the one causing them
absent themselves.
3.0 Methodology
This section presents the methodology that was used to conduct the study. Descriptive cross
sectional survey, which is concerned with describing the characteristics of an event, community or
region, providing data about the population or item being studied by only describing the who, what,
how, when and where of a situation at a given time and providing a systematic description that is as
factual and as accurate as possible, Amin, (2005). The study also employed both qualitative and
quantitative approaches/methods. A quantitative approach was adopted in order to allow the
researcher to gather more precise and quantifiable information on the causes and effects of
absenteeism whist the qualitative methodology was also appropriate to this study because it allowed
the researchers to get the data directly from the subjects themselves by sitting with the respondents
and hear their views, voices, perceptions and expectations in detail. Thus, the researcher recognized
several nuances of attitude and behavior that could escape researchers using other methods.
10. ISSN: 2201-6333 (Print) ISSN: 2201-6740 (Online) www.ijern.com
426
3.1 The Population and Sample Size
The population for this study was one thousand (1000) drawn from 17 out of 36 USE schools in the
four districts of Serere, Ngora, Soroti and Kumi comprised of 07, 04, 03 and 03 USE schools
respectively all are located in North Eastern Uganda. The study covered a sample of 278
respondents drawn from the population; this is consistent with Krejcie & Morgan, (1970) sample
size determination criteria. The study used both purposive and stratified sampling to select the
sample. The main instrument that was used to solicit for information was the questionnaire. Self-
administered questionnaires with open- ended and closed questions were used for data collection.
Research Assistant was used to distribute the questionnaires. The number of returned questionnaires
was 226 giving a response rate at (81.3%). Interviews were also held with some of the students,
District Education Offers, Political and CSOs leaders, Teachers and parents. Through the use of
interviews, the interviewer was able to elaborate on issues and questions as well as clarifying the
meaning of statements, answers or questions that may not have been clear to the interviewee. Semi-
structured interviews were conducted because the researchers wanted the respondents to give their
detailed views, opinions and perceptions with regard to causes and effects of student absenteeism.
The field data was statistically analyzed using descriptive statistics and narrative summary analyses.
Furthermore, in this study; confidentiality ethic was adhered by using secret codes for all interview
transcripts and identity of the participants were concealed. The research was therefore conducted
with respect and concern for the dignity and welfare of the informants.
4.0 Results and Discussions of the Findings
This section presents the results of the findings using a statistical table.
4.1 Causes of Students’ Absenteeism in USE Schools in Uganda
The study shows that, the causes of students’ absenteeism in Universal Secondary Education (USE)
Schools in Uganda are un excused absences which is responsible for 64.3% of the total students’
absenteeism in the school while 35.5% are excused and they include: Lack of scholastic requirements,
illness or disease, loss of parent or close relative, taking care of the sick, and bad weather as shown in
Figure 3. This implies that the 64.3% are the student/parent/government factors which need to be
addressed. Therefore, the government authorities should work with the donors, teachers, CSOs,
business community and the media to sensitize parents on the importance of education and the need
for student attendance.
Figure 3: Causes of Students’ Absenteeism in USE Schools in Uganda
Responses Frequency Percent Rank
Order
Lack of scholastic requirements e.g. fees, uniforms, books, pens, etc. 158 20.7% 1st
Household work like; farming, fetching water, construction, cooking 94 12.4% 2nd
Lack of interest in Education by both the student and parent 74 9.7% 3rd
Hunger at school/Lack of mid-day meals 68 8.9% 4th
Sexual harassment at school 60 7.9% 5th
Long distance to school 58 7.6% 6th
Illness or Disease 57 7.5% 7th
Loss of parent or close relative 49 6.4% 8th
Peer influence 39 5.1% 9th
Harsh punishment at school 35 4.6% 10th
11. International Journal of Education and Research Vol. 2 No. 10 October 2014
427
Poor performance in class 32 4.2% 11th
Teacher factor i.e. teacher absenteeism, qualification, teaching skills 22 2.9% 12th
Taking care of the sick 12 1.6% 13th
Bad weather 06 0.8% 14th
Weak policy on absenteeism 05 0.7% 15th
TOTAL 764 100% ---
Source: Derived from Primary Data Analysis of Instrument; April, 2014
Lack of Scholastic Materials/Requirements
The study findings show that 20.7% of the students absent themselves because they lack scholastic
requirements/materials such as; books, pens, uniforms, calculators, and additional fees contribution
like; field work fee, school bus contribution, and PTA (Development Fund). These extra fees are a
barrier to students’ attendance. During the study, the researcher found that in Kumi district year
2013; three quarters (75%) of the students were sent home in one of the schools at the district for
not paying development fund/ PTA contribution for the bus. In an interview with a parent in Kumi
district says; “The Bus contribution was agreed by parents in the meeting which was attended by
different district leaders. Those whose children are parading to police, RDCs office are wasting
their time because the decision was made before the introduction of USE programme …”
Contributing to the same debate, one parent had this to say in Serere District; “Additional school
fees can be a problem because some of us are peasants and when it is not the season of harvesting
we fail to raise money for scholastic materials and fees. Moreover in the village they make us pay a
lot. So the USE program is not helping us.” In addition, another female parent in Ngora district
lamented that; “Despite the abolition of school fees, other fees are to high as compared to school
fees for instance the price of school uniform is between Ush. 85,000-135,000 and yet the same can
be got from the market at less than Ush. 50,000.” This implies that parents are feeling the pinch in
the amount charged by schools uniform and development fund as a burden. This finding agrees with
Mervilde, (1981) whose study also reveals that; family health or financial concerns are all
conditions that can cause a child not to attend school.
Household work
From figure 3 it is evident that household work contributes to 12.4% of the student absenteeism in
the USE schools in Uganda. Students who are homeless and staying with friends, relatives are more
absent from school than those staying with their biological parents for instance in rural areas; they
have to wake up very early in the morning and go to the garden, fetch enough water for use, teeter
animals (cattle, goats, pigs), then prepare for school depending on the time the task is accomplished
and sometimes are told to remain to do the construction work. While urban students have tasks of
washing utensils, mopping the house and preparing breakfast for family before leaving for school.
According to the one of the Education Officer in Soroti district explained that; “Agriculture is the
back-bone of the peasant economy, and during the rainy season all efforts are geared towards food
production for survival.” This was supported by a one member from Kyere Citicen Parliament
(KCP) in Serere district said; “Some students are heading families and therefore, at most times they
have to fulfill family needs before going to school.” In addition a Student from Serere district also
added that; “At least every Friday I have to be out of school by going to fishing to earn some money
to cater for my breakfast, lunch, and personal requirements like exercise books, pens, calculators,
school uniforms, shoes as my parents pay for fees.” These reasons are critical because it will lead
to poor performance in class, drop out and waste of government fund and as a result it will affect
12. ISSN: 2201-6333 (Print) ISSN: 2201-6740 (Online) www.ijern.com
428
the government objectives of increasing access to quality secondary education. Thus, study
conforms partly to Balfanz & Byrnes, (2012) because they mentioned that family obligations make
some students not go to school without mentioning the reasons and level of prevalence in their
study.
Lack of interest in Education
This was ranked third with a total percentage of 9.7 as thought by the respondents during the study.
The respondents urged that students with un excused absenteeism have no interest in being at school
since their parents also do support. In an interview with a Senior Education Assistant in Ngora
district she explains that; “There are clans /families who do not value education and they enjoy
staying with their children together at home regardless of their behavior. Some parents don’t asked
their children why they are absent from school even if they have paid all the school fees,
development fees, provided the child with all the scholastics materials; a bicycle for transport and
lunch in the restaurant and such children still keep of school and no question about it.” In a similar
interview in Serere district another Female teacher that; “The problem is not only to the clan/family
but it is hereditary. I margin, some students even divert their fees for procuring mobile phone,
radio, latest fashioned clothes, sports betting, watching videos/football, internet, playing pool,
cards, drinking; and when sent home by school administration for fees, they end up hiding in their
rental rooms. At worse, some parents do not visit these children in their rental places, to find out
whether the child is at school or not, and do not ask for the report card, circular letter(s) at the end
of the term for accountability from the child.” In the time of this study, one male parent was
embarrassed by the daughter he rented the room; on his visitation to the daughter, he met a mature
man coming out of the daughters’ rental room with a towel; when he called the daughter to come
out, she could not and as a result he turned his bicycle back home with total shame to the extent he
could not call for help from neighbor, Local council or police. Contributing to the same debate, the
senior officer from the Public Affairs Centre of Uganda a leading CSO in Teso and Karamoja
region had this to say in relation to lack of interest in education; “The society has collapsed. In old
days, a child was the property of the clan; and discipline was a society’s role but today a relative or
close friend can see a child/student being taken to the lodge will not act. Why? Immediately you
take action to discipline the child, in a fewest hours you will find yourself in probation office or
police cell for violating the child’s right to freedom.” He added that parents do not focus on long
term vision but they tell their children that, “My role is to give you education, other things it is up to
you.” That is why even the learners are not focused because they do not know why they are at
school. For instance, some parents find the solution of dealing with the stubborn child as taking
him/her to school; and as a result the child will be at school with no goal but thinking of the
holidays. This finding is in agreement with that of Balfanz & Byrnes, (2012) which states that,
students choose not to attend, either because they or their parents or guardian do not see the value in
school.
Hunger at school
Hunger at school was ranked fourth as one of the cause of students’ absenteeism in USE schools.
This implies that 8.9% of the total absenteeism in a school is caused by hunger or lack of mid-day
meals. This is because some families are trapped with poverty and have no income to pay for meals
at school, or a student(s) did not have a decent super/meals hence making the body weak and as a
result a student can’t work or go to school because of the long time s/he will be at school on empty
stomach and yet class needs concentration. According to one of the Female teacher in Kumi district
13. International Journal of Education and Research Vol. 2 No. 10 October 2014
429
she decried that; “Hunger does not only affect the student, even teachers. She added that afternoon
lessons are not always effective you find a hungry teacher is teaching hungry students.” As a result,
the students end up not understanding the lesson because of ineffective teaching hence will fail in
the examinations. In Wadesango, et al., (2011) study which found that; students experience
absenteeism that has a socio-economic character such as poverty, hunger which makes them to seek
for part-time employment instead of applying themselves fully to their studies.
Sexual harassment at school
Sexual harassment was ranking fifth (7.9%) in the four districts in the ratio of 4:3:3:1for Kumi,
Serere, Soroti and Ngora district respectively. This implies that the school is not a safe place for
children anymore; teachers’ student relationship is very high. In the sampled schools, students
emphasized that at least there are two or more teachers having sexual relations with students they
teach. On probing why? They said, “These older men lure young girls into sexual relations with
money, leaking examinations for them, food or other favours like perfumes, mobile phones for
communication, pads, and outings.” In an interview with a mother of two daughters in secondary
school in Soroti district she narrated that; “Yah, our children are sexually abused by those teachers
who do not hold professional code of conduct and respect for their wives. They have turned their
guns on the young girls whom they should be calling their daughters.” This kind of character does
not motivate students to attend classes conducted by such incredible teacher(s), which demean the
school and its leadership; while putting the students’ health, life and future in jeopardy because of
the likely complications such as; HIV/AIDS infections, pregnancies which sometimes the girl(s)
is/are lured to abort forgetting of the complications associated with abortion such as; loss of weight,
death, barrenness, and later rejection from man/family members. It is important to note that, this is
the first empirical study which established sexual harassment in schools as one of the top five
causes of students’ absenteeism in Uganda accounting to 7.9% of the total absenteeism among
female students. This finding conform with Teasley, (2004) who asserts that; students that have
poor or conflicting relationships with teachers will avoid school in order to avoid their teachers.
Long distance to school
Despite the increased number of secondary schools both government and private implementing
USE programme for instance from 1,647(904 government; 743 private) in 2012 to 1,919(1,024
government and 879 private) in 2013 long distance to school is still a challenge to students
accounting to 7.6% of students’ absenteeism. Some students still cover eight (8) Kilo-meters daily
on foot to reach their schools for instance in one of the sub-counties in Serere District, all the three
(3) secondary schools in the sub-county are located in one parish with two implementing USE
programme having three primary schools while the rest of the seven (7) parishes have eleven
government primary schools with no single secondary school. These challenges generated mixed
results from the schools and parents that were visited. Some teachers, politicians and parents were
of the view that; “… Students move very long distance to school, which makes them tired. It takes
long for them to settle in class and they may not concentrate on school attendance. They also
frequently move outside the class due to hunger, tiredness. The government should do something
about the situation.” Even if they access the school, their performance is affected by the time they
spend in the morning and evening travelling to and from school. Contributing to the same debate,
one of the teachers emphasised that; “Although my child has no problem with the distance to the
school because we live close to the school, distance to school is a big issue as far as school
attendance is concerned for those who come from far. Students reach school tired and the
14. ISSN: 2201-6333 (Print) ISSN: 2201-6740 (Online) www.ijern.com
430
concentration is low. When it rains the problem gets much worse. Some students may not be able to
go to school because they can’t withstand rain. Girls specifically get disturbed regularly by idle
men.” This situation was also revealed by Mbozi, (2008) in her findings. The author stated that
some learners covered up to ten (10) kilometers walking to school. This made them too tired to
concentrate in class. They equally learnt few subjects each day because they most of the
times reached school late which made them perform poorly at school.
Illness or Disease
During the study, the most illness/diseases being mentioned by the respondents were; girl’s
ministration period, HIV/AIDS, malaria, flu and cough, asthma, sickle cell, snake bites, and
epilepsy was ranked seventh representing (7.5%) as one of the causes of students’ absenteeism in
USE schools. According to the Education Minister in 2012 she said in her report that, “The
HIV/AIDS prevalence in both teachers and students is still looming and is considered to be one of
the causes that are contributing to raising dropout rates, absenteeism, repetition and poor
performance,” New Vision, Friday, July 06, 2012. This finding is in agreement with the study
conducted by Balfanz & Byrnes, (2012) and Ubogu, (2004) who identifies illness, permitted leave,
voluntary absenteeism, as the common causes of absenteeism.
Loss of Parent or Close Relative
This was ranked eighth and contributes to 6.4% of the total absenteeism in the school. In one of the
schools in Kumi district, the school lost nine (9) of its members between January and August, 2014
(that is teaching staff, supportive staff, PTA member and a student who drown in the lake). This is a
very disastrous situation with serious psychological and emotional effects which leads to; lose of
moral in teaching, backlog due to the un covered lessons, poor performance, misuse of school
resources for instance money and furniture, and running short of teachers which will lead to urgent
recruitment of part-time teacher which sometimes may not fit in the shoes of the diseased or
become rigid to adjust on the time table and this, makes the problem un answered.
Peer Influence
Peer influence was ranked 9th
accounting for 5.1% of the total absenteeism in the school/class. As
the saying goes that; “Birds of the same feather do flock together.” Similarly students with low
ambitions and interest tend to dodge going to school and remain drinking, watching video, sport
betting, prostitution/ trading for sex as a way of making money earlier and looking at studying as a
waste of time. Some have been influenced by promises of getting better jobs/scholarships and ended
up being trafficked in sexual or forced labour. The Head of Department in one of the schools in
Kumi District urged that; “Female students are left to rent alone, given less attention and they can
decide whether to come to school or not and more so, they try to catch up with the urban life.” In
support Wadesango, et al., (2011) studies also found that, the motivation for their absenteeism from
classes was the need to be with their friends and peers which equally rhythms with, Reid, (2005)
whose findings reveals that; truant individuals are influenced by their peers to not attend school and
encourage peers to engage in activities outside of the school with them.
Harsh Punishment at School
From the findings, the researcher found harsh punishment as the tenth (4.6%) causes of students’
absenteeism in USE schools in Uganda. The practice is still done in many schools especially in rural
areas in the four (4) districts still practice corporal punishment. According to students, they urged
15. International Journal of Education and Research Vol. 2 No. 10 October 2014
431
that, some teachers do not listen to students’ reason of coming late even if a student has a genuine
reason, the only answer is “late is late” go down and you are canned the way s/he wishes and, or
given to clean the school compound for two/three hours; dig the ant hill till you remove the Quill,
and as a result a student will opt to stay away from school on those days when they are very late.
This result rhythm well with Shahzada, et al., (2011) who admit that corporal punishment could
cause absenteeism in school.
Poor Performance in Class
Poor performance is class causes 4.2% of students’ absenteeism as thought by the respondents and
it was ranked eleventh among the causes in schools. The could be as a result of lack; lack of
motivation, poor learning environment, dislike of school, having no aspirations, poor family
educational back-ground, inadequate learning materials, age and large classes. According to Lotz &
Lee, (1999); students’ negative self-image and low self-esteem are reasons for non-attendance
which supports the findings.
Teacher Factor
The study also reveals that teacher factor such as; teacher absenteeism, qualification, and teaching
skills attributes to 2.9% of the total absenteeism and ranked twelfth among the causes of students’
absenteeism in schools. Schools with low quality/standard have more absenteeism rate as compared
to schools with high standard. This is attributed by both teachers and students factor for instance,
schools with low standards do not mind about student coming late in class, being out of school, and
as a result a student will attend and leave school at the time s/he wishes. This was cited in rural
schools in all the districts surveyed. One parent Serere District emphasized that; “There are schools
which have failed to pass students in first grade for more than three years and they celebrate
second grade as the best in National Examinations.” This case is different from urban and peri-
urban schools, since most of them have got gates; and if a student enters, s/he will come out at the
time the gate is re-opened or when the student has been granted permission to move out; however
late comers will remain out till lunch time (1:00pm Ugandan time). According to Kilpatrick, 1996
Lotz & Lee, 1999; Khazzaka, 1997, supports that; lack of challenging/ interesting course work and
curriculum were reasons for student non-attendance while on the other hand Fleming, (1995) study,
alludes that, the major reasons given by students for non-attendance at lessons were; poor teaching,
timing of the lesson and poor quality of the lesson content. Other causes of students’ absenteeism
were; taking care of the sick, bad weather and weak policy on absenteeism which were ranked 13th
(2.9%), 14th
(1.6%) and 15th
(0.7%) respectively.
5.0 Conclusion
Students’ absenteeism is real in USE schools and its causes should not be looked at lightly; early
intervention in regards to attendance will make a difference for those students who are moving
towards disengagement from school and as a result the begin practicing social evil in the society.
Therefore, it is very important for the government, policy makers, school administrators, media,
parents, and the general public to accurately monitor, identify early and intervene about this silent
killer. The silent killer has long term effects to the student(s) and the nation, that is: leads to school
dropout hence a blockage of students academic growth; poor performance in examinations due to
low syllabi coverage; a waste of tax payers money; deteriorating performance which mounts to
open criticism hence making the National Resistance Movement (NRM) government un popular
with its own initiative; leads to increase in crimes because of being attracted to the outside
16. ISSN: 2201-6333 (Print) ISSN: 2201-6740 (Online) www.ijern.com
432
environment full of bad elements practicing activities such as; drug abuse, gambling (playing cards,
sports betting, pick pocketing), commercial sex, fornication leading to early marriages and
HIV/AIDS risks which is a result of perceiving being at school as academic punishment. In
addition, they become a burden to the society because of unemployment since one has no
employable skills and it will also spoil the reputation of the school because of failure rate which
makes students to transfer to another school with better academic performance. The empirical study
also shows that; the average rate of students’ absenteeism is 23.18% in day schools as compared to
3.25% in boarding schools. The mainly affected categories include; children from poor families,
children living far from school, female students, orphans, disables, male students, and children
living with one parent which could be a result of divorced or separation or death as thought by the
respondents during the study. From the data analysis, the ratio of male to female students’
absenteeism is 1:3 in the studied districts in Uganda.
6.0 Recommendations
Attendance is a key driver of the nation’s achievement, high school graduation, and college
attainment. Thus, as a nation we must act, to ensure that our students are ready, willing and able to
attend school every day. Their future, and hence our future, depends on it. It is against this
background that the researcher offers the following practical and policy recommendations for the
improvement of students’ absenteeism in secondary schools:
The government through the MoES should make sure that parents understand their responsibility of
contributing towards the development of the school and their children through paying required
development fees which is always agreed by themselves in the Parent and Teachers’ Association
(PTA) meeting. This will eased the management of school than confusing parents that; USE is free
and no child should be sent out for non-payment and yet the contribution by the government is little
that is; the government pays the schools an annual grant of up to Ush. 123,000 for each student
under the programme in government aided schools while Ush. 141,000 for students in private
schools under Public Private Partnership (PPP) spread over three school terms. It is also important
to note that, the government consideration of increasing the fees for each student in government
aided school under USE from shillings 41,000 to 58,000 and from 47,000 to 70,000 for private
schools this still does not cover the scholastics materials and parents still have to contribute towards
schools development by paying PTA fees hence, politics should be separated from education if
quality education is to be realized in Uganda.
Furthermore, since the majority of parents are still pinched with the costs of scholastics and the
PTA contributions, the researcher recommends the government to subsidize taxes on the scholastics
materials such as books, pens, calculators, and school uniforms or provide them free by
consolidating it in the grant since the majority of the parent are peasant who cannot even afford two
meals a day and giving money for books, pens, calculators, mathematical sets is like wasting money
and yet there are other pressing needs like food, medical, and weeding the gardens. Thus, this
initiative will enhance the enrollment while at the same time increasing on retention of students in
school since parents will be left with a mandatory task of providing meals. This initiative will also
reduce on the “ghosts” schools and students.
Government should improve the household income of the citizens through effective appropriate
implementations of its poverty alleviation programmes like the National Agricultural Advisory
17. International Journal of Education and Research Vol. 2 No. 10 October 2014
433
Services, Youth Livelihood Programme, Skilling Uganda and SACCOs by targeting
parents/guardians whose children are in the USE schools. This will improve on the income levels of
the household and as a result it will enable parents obtain what to sell so as to pay fees, and obtain
the scholastics materials. To students who are bread earners in the family, the researcher
recommends that; the government, community, CSOs, development agencies and well to do
individuals should provide assistance to such students in form of food, clothing, books and required
to enabled them achieve their dreams.
Remember that, hunger does not cause only absenteeism but drop out as well. Therefore, the
researcher recommends the government and development partners to support school feeding
programme in the last ten districts with low attendance and performance in national examinations
while giving priority to public/government aided schools but not private schools even if it is under
PPP. In this, the community will be tasked to provide firewood, water, the cooking utensils, a
service of a cook, shelter as a way of monitoring the programmes implementation and this will
foster accountability and transparency while weekly report should be submitted to the MoES for
verification and next terms planning. Thus, programme will help to increase students’ enrolment,
access and retention to school which the government has failed to meet in the last six years of the
programme implementation making student repetition and drop out at about 10% which is high
while student absenteeism is at 23.2% the number described by State Board of Education (2013)
severe or chronic and need to be addressed.
The government through the Ministry of Education and Sports should not ignore the community
and students’ out cry on the increasing rate of teacher students’ sexual relationship in the USE
schools. This kind of conduct could be the way of undermining the USE policy; on the other hand
could lead to early pregnancies among female students hence dropping out of the programme/and
transferring of student by parents to private schools hence leaving the programme being abused.
For a meantime, the government should continue with its programme of constructing seed schools
in rural sub counties taking Olio, Labor and Atiira sub counties in Serere district which has no
single USE school and at worse; Olio and Labor Sub Counties in Serere, Kumi sub-county in Kumi,
Gweri in Soroti, and Ngora sub-county in Ngora district has no single secondary school. These will
reduce congestion of students in class and will enhance effective teaching and learning; reduce on
the absenteeism level because of distance; save students from harassments by preys/vultures (“Boda
bodas,” businessmen, drunkards and rapists) on their way; limiting the chance of dropping out after
primary level; and above all it will increases access to free basic education to more learners hence
achieving the Education for All (EFA) targets. However, the most workable approach of addressing
the problem of long distance would be introduction of Open Schooling System in Uganda. The
system refers to “the physical separation of the school level learner from the teacher, and the use of
unconventional teaching methodologies, and information and communications technologies to
bridge the separation and provide the education and training.” The system has already been
practiced in countries with access problems like South Africa, Namibia, and Botswana among other
African countries. The system is found to be more economical because it cuts the cost of recruiting
too many teachers, supervision, constructions drastically; provide opportunities to the school
leavers, dropouts, working adults, housewives, and learners from distance and remote areas; and
reach out to those who could not complete/continue their schooling due to socio-cultural and
economic reasons.
18. ISSN: 2201-6333 (Print) ISSN: 2201-6740 (Online) www.ijern.com
434
The research also recommends that; schools be held accountable for improving attendance. For
instance, attendance and chronic absence rates should be publicly availed and reported to the
District Education Officer. In addition, the Ministry of Education and Sports should work with Civil
Society Organisations (CSOs), district education stakeholders and state agencies like the Residential
District Commissioners (RDCs), District Internal Security Officers (DISOs), and Gombolola
Internal Security Officers (GISOs) to collect weekly student level attendance data. This will help to
reduce on the “ghost” students, schools and teachers due to routine monitoring hence saving the tax
payers money instead of remitting 100% of the total funds for the students and yet students in
attendance are 80%. Thus, through this routine report will enabled the MoES to establish the actual
student data instead of rallying on estimates where head teachers inflate students number in order to
get more funds from the government.
Due to lack of interest, there is need to improve in teaching methods for instance, if instruction is
imparted by means of modern methods and techniques keeping in view the interests, and
needs of the students there is no reasons why there will not be any improvement in the attitude of
the students toward studies and the school and their attendance. The old methods of lecturing,
subjecting the students to arduous exercises and meaningless drill and memorizing of useless items
of instruction have no place in the modern school because instead of attracting the students such
methods repel them from the school environment. Motivation of students through field-trips, the use
of films, film-strips, records, television, radio and any other audiovisual aids should at least now be
realized by our teachers. In addition, the school building, furniture, facilities of co-curricular
activities, adequate libraries and reading rooms, clean and healthy environment do play an
important role in attracting the students. With all these facilities and attractions the school will
become a place of interest rather than of aversion.
The government, Ministry of Education and Sports, policy makers, practitioners, parents and
students need to carry out their respective roles accordingly. For instance, the government should
improve teachers working conditions so as to boost their motivation with a view that this will have
positive returns in the way they discharge their duties; The district officials and head teachers be
trained in Total Quality Management (TQM) skills; thus, the quality assurance schemes will make
teachers accountable for what they are doing and as a result it will lead to clear improvement of the
programmes judged negatively; Board of Governors (BOG) should approve the policies
contributing to school improvements and facilitate the implementation of such policies; PTA
provides financial assistance where need; Teachers should also meet their targets as teachers by
making learning more realistic; Also parents should inspire children to have interest in education
likewise children should also dance to their tune.
The researcher also recommends the MoES, District officials (District Education Officer and the
team; District Health Team), and school administrators to create school environment friendly to the
sick such as; students with HIV/AIDS, asthma, sickle cell, epilepsy, flu, and girls in their menstrual
period by showing concern and abundant love instead of discriminating. For instance, the health
team should provide information to students about asthma, its effect on student attendance, and
provide strategies to help student(s) learn to better manage the disease (asthma); reducing the
transmission of common illnesses like flu and cough through provision of hand washing facilities
like water tape, tape jerrican and improving the quality of school; the government should extent the
services of SNV of skilling pupils in making sanitary pads to curb female pupils’ absenteeism from
19. International Journal of Education and Research Vol. 2 No. 10 October 2014
435
school during menstrual periods to secondary schools since many adolescent girls are in secondary;
the target should be in rural districts in the country; above all the government should scrapped off
taxes on materials like refined cotton, towels and already made pads to increase access to the
sanitary towels by rural girls/women. Finally, physical check-up must be carried out as many
times in a year as possible for students and staff.
5.3 Areas Recommended for Further Research
The following are the areas the researcher has seen prudent for the future research:
The relationship between the District Education Officers and Secondary Schools
Administration;
Teacher qualification and students’ academic performance; and
Effects of students’ absenteeism on students’ academic/school performance
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
Above all, we would like to thank God the almighty; without His unlimited love this research paper would
have never seen the light of the day. We would like to thank Prof. OKELLO, Lekoboam Ag. Vice
Chancellor, his predecessor Prof. Kim Young, Management, the Executive of Kumi University Research and
Documentation Centre (KUREDO); fellow researchers; Machyo Jane, Flavia Amayo, William Kalanzi,
Nicholus Aisu, Dralega Olega Henry, Joseph Omara, Tomasi Mutya, Maxwell Oina, David Abala, the
leadership of Serere, Soroti,Ngora and Kumi; the Research Assistants, respondents who contributed in a
special way to this research. Thank you so much for your constant support and encouragement.
Last but not the least, thank to our beloved families for the encouragement, love, and generosity. In particular
the Late Bishop Herbert Nawita who passed on during the period of the study. May his soul rest in peace! I
am (Komakech) equally thankful to the family of the Late Bishop, my beloved mother Florence Adong, dear
wife Christian J. Apairo, loving daughter B.P. Nawita, Florence Adongo, F.R. Adongo, Akol, Richard and
Okello Geofrey. In the same spirit I am (Osuu) grateful to my beloved parents Mr. and Mrs. Egwang
Bonifasio, my dear wife Margret, children Marion, Emmanuel, Patience, Bella; my brothers and sisters most
especially the late Pius who made the first sacrifice to have me at school.
REFERENCES
Amin E.M.,(2005). Social Science Research Conception, Methodology & Analysis. Kampala: Makerere
University Printer.
Balfanz, R., & Byrnes, V. (2012). Chronic Absenteeism: Summarizing What We Know From Nationally
Available Data. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Center for Social Organization of Schools.
Chang, H. N., & Romero, M., (2008). Present, Engaged and Accounted For The Critical Importance of
Addressing Chronic Absence in the Early Grades. National Center for Children in Poverty (NCCP):
The Mailman School of Public Health at Columbia University.
DeJung, J. K. and Duckworth, K., (1986). Measuring Student Absences in the High Schools: Paper
Presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Educational Research Association, San Francisco.
Durden, G.C. & Ellis, L.V., (2003). Is Class Attendance a proxy variable for Student Motivation in
Economics Class? An Empirical Analysis, Institutional Social Science Review, 78 (1&2):42-46.
Enomoto E., (1997). Negotiating the Ethics of Care and Justice. Educational Administration Quarterly, 33:
351-370.
Fleming, N., (1995). Attendance. Why don’t They Attend? London: Macmillan Press. Japan
International Cooperation Agency (JICA): Basic Education Sector Analysis Report, 2012
Juuko F.W. & Kabonesa .C., (2007). Universal Primary Education (UPE) in Contemporary Uganda: Right
or Privilage?: Kampala.
Kilpatrick, P. (1996). Missing school. Youth Studies 15(4), 19-22.
20. ISSN: 2201-6333 (Print) ISSN: 2201-6740 (Online) www.ijern.com
436
King, D., &VanRy, V., (1998). The Kern County Truancy Reduction Project: Meeting Diverse Needs to
Keep Children in School. ERS-Spectrum 16(3), 25-35.
Krejcie, R.V., & Morgan, D.W., (1970). Determining Sample Size for Research Activation. Education
and Psychological Measurement; 30-608. Sage Publications.
Kremer, M., Chaudhury, N., Halsey, R. F., Muralidharan, K., & Hammer, J. (2005), Teacher Absence in
India: A Snapshot, Journal of the European Economic Association April/May 2005, Vol. 3, No. 2-3,
Pages 658-667
Lotz, R., & Lee, L. (1999). Sociability, School Experience, and Delinquency. Youth & Society 31(3), 199-
224.
Marburger, D.R. (2001), “Absenteeism and Undergraduate Exam Performance”, Journal of Economic
Education, Vol. 32 No. 2, pp. 99-109.
McNeely, C., & Falci, C., ( 2004). School Connectedness and the Transition Into and Out of Health
Risk Behavior among Adolescents: A Comparison of Social Belonging and TeacherSupport.
Journal of School Health, 74(7), 284-292.
Mervilde, J., 1981. Student Absenteeism: Causes, Effects, and Possible Solutions. Thesis for the University
of Indiana at South Bend, USA.
Ministry of Education & Sports (MoES): Uganda Education Statistical Abstract, 2009
Ministry of Education & Sports (MoES): Uganda Education Statistical Abstract, 2010
Ministry of Education & Sports (MoES): Uganda Education Statistical Abstract, 2014
Peters, M., & Kethley, B., (2002). The Relationship between Homework and Performance in an Introduction
to Operations Management Course, Journal of Education for Business, 77(66): 340-344.
Reid, K., (2005). The Causes, Views and Traits of School Absenteeism and Truancy. Research in Education,
74: 59-82.
Rothman, S., (2001). School absence and student background factors: A Multilevel Analysis
International Education Journal Vol 2, No 1, 2001; (59-68).
Shahzada, G., Ghazi, S.R., Nawaz, H., & Khan, A.,(2011). Causes of Absenteeism from the Schools at
Secondary Level. Mediterranean Journal of Social Sciences, Vol.2, No.2, 2001; (291-298).
State Board Of Education, (2013). Guidelines for Implementation of the Definitions of Excused and
Unexcused Absences and Best Practices for Absence Prevention and Intervention. Connecticut State
Department of Education.
Miltenberger, R., & Stickney, M., (1998). School Refusal Behavior: Prevalence, Characteristics, and
Schools’ Response. Education & Treatment of Children, 21(2), 160-170.
Teachers’ Union, (April 2010). Assessing the Impact of Seasonal Factors on School Attendance in the
Karnali Zone.
Teasley, M. L., (2004). Absenteeism and Truancy. Children and Schools, 26: 117-127.
Wadesango, N. & Machingambi, S., (2011). Causes and Structural Effects of Student Absenteeism: A Case
Study of Three South African Universities, J Soc Sci, 26(2): 89-97
Weller D.L., (1996). The next generation of school reform. Quality Progress, 29: 65-70.
Werner, J.G., (2011). Teacher Support for Universal Secondary Education in Uganda. The PhD Thesis
(Unpublished). The University Of Minnesota.
Williams B., (1999). Education, Social Structure and Development: A Comparative Analysis. London:
Macmillan Press
Williams L.L., (2000). Student Absenteeism and Truancy: Technologies and interventions to Reduce
Chronic Problems among School-Age Children. Journal of Children, 7: 23-34
Wright, J. S., (1978). Student Attendance: what relates where? NASSP Bulletin, 62, February, 115-117.
Ubogu, R. E, (2004). The Causes of Absenteeism and Dropout among Secondary School Students
in Delta Central Senatorial District of Delta State. Unpublished Ph.D Thesis, Delta
State University, Nigeria: Abraka.
Unger, L., Morton, C., & Laing, D. (1997). A Brief Report on Paradoxical Effect of Education on
school Attendance Program effect or Student Effect. Guidance & Counselling 12(3), 20-23.