Factors Affecting the Primary School Participation of Pastoralists: A Case Study from Ethiopia

Abstract

The study investigated the status of primary school participation of pastoralist children. It was conducted in Bench Maji zone of the S/N/N/P/R/G in Ethiopia. The main focus of the study was to identify the major constraints that hinders the participation of pastoral Suri children. To this end, case study method was employed. Data were gathered from 20 teachers, 16 PTA’s, 20 community elders, 5 educational experts, and 2 administrators through in-depth interview and focus group discussion. Community elders, educational experts and administrators were selected by purposive method. Teachers and Parent Teacher Association [PTA] were selected by availability sampling. The data from documentary analysis indicated that the status of pastoral Suri children participation in the primary school is extremely low. Based on findings, school related constraints, socio-economic constraints and Socio – cultural constraints were found to be the major barriers to the educational participation of pastoral Suri children. Hence, it is concluded that the participation of pastoral Suri children in the primary schools was a function of school related constraints, socio – economic and socio – cultural constraints. Depending on the result of the findings, formulation of policy and strategy to pastoral Suri children was recommended.

DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2014.v5n23p1386