The effects of primary school quality on school dropout among Kenyan girls and boys.

A study examined how primary school quality influenced school dropout rates among girls and boys in Kenya. The data were gathered through school and household visits in rural areas of three districts in the country. Results revealed that girls' retention is discouraged in schools in which boys are provided with a more supportive environment than girls in terms of advice, in which boys are free to harass girls, in which teachers take the importance of difficult subjects like math less seriously for girls, and in which boys do not acknowledge girls' experience of unequal treatment. The findings suggest that there is more to the quality of the school environment than material resources for the basic curriculum, pedagogical practices, and time to learn and that there is more to school effectiveness than the development of academic competency.

an: 507696430; source: Comparative Education Review; docTypes: Article; pubTypes: Academic Journal;