Challenges and prospects in achieving universal primary education in borena pastoral community: the case of three woredas, oromia reginal state

Abstract

The Purposes of this study was to examine the challenges and Prospects in achieving UPE by 2015, the case of three pastoral Woredas and come up with strategies that should be designed to enhance enrollment of school age children of the pastoral community. In order to realize the study, descriptive survey research method was employed. This study was conducted in the three purposefully selected woredas of Borena Zone. The sample schools were selected through random sampling technique. The subjects of the study were 140 teachers and 34 educational managers and PTA’s from this pastoral community. The necessary information was obtained from these subjects through questionnaires, interview for PTA members and document analysis from WEO. Moreover, educational statistics and annual abstracts of the WEO were used to obtain the necessary data. The data obtained from the questionnaires were analyzed using statistical tools like percentage, mean, grand mean and t- test values. The data from document analysis and the findings showed that the provision of primary education and gender gap between males and females students in Borena pastoral community has shown an improvement but not as its desired targets. The findings of the study further indicated socio-economic factors like high demand for children labor, lack of direct costs of schooling, nutrition problem, the pastoral way of life, poor educational background of parents, conflicts, large family size, lack of adequate budget and drought have been identified as major challenges. Furthermore, socio-cultural factors such as negligence of physically impaired children, existence of backward traditional culture, shortage of role models of pastoral girls, early marriage and pregnancy, parents fear modern education change their culture, low value given to the girls’ education and absence of socialization program to the new comer students were considered as barriers. Moreover, school related factors like shortage of qualified teachers, shortage of female teachers as a role model, weak school management, long distance walk between home and schools, lack of adequate supervision services, shortage of syllabus and teaches’ guides and lack of school facilities have been identified as major problems in enhancing enrollment of Borena pastoral school age children. Hence, it is concluded that, in most cases, the provision of primary education for Borena pastoral children was a function of socio-economic, socio-cultural and supply side factors. Depending on the results of findings, building new schools near to the community, expanding existing schools and ABE centers, establishing mobile schools, expanding existing students’ feeding program, increase the number of female teachers, increase supervision services, allocate sufficient budget to the schools, avoiding any school related costs, establishing especial support program to the girls’ education, mobilizing community awareness on the UPE goals, full-fill school facilities, attracting more NGOs that work on education issues, and mobilizing community support were among sound strategies which have been identified by the respondents to increase the participation of school age children in these lowland pastoral community