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AN ASSESSMENT OF FEMALE STUDENTS’

ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE: THE CASE STUDY
OF DIDEA SECONDARY SCHOOL

Dereje Demissie Shasho (M. Sc.)

JULY, 2016
ARSI ROBE, ETHIOPIA
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RESUMÉ, CV
A: Personal Identification

Name: Dereje Demissie Shasho

Age: 50 Years
Sex: Male
Date of Birth: February 08, 1973
Place of Birth: Ligeba, Lode Hetosa, Arsi Zone, Ethiopia
Marital Status: Bachelor
Health Status: Excellent
Nationality: Ethiopian
Address: Arsi Robe town, Arsi Zone, Ethiopia
Mobile Phone: +251922304635
Email address: esandemissie@gmail.com
B: Educational History
S. N. Level Name of University/school Year of attendance Awards
1 Postgraduate SGS, AAU Sep. 1995-jan. 1999 M.Sc degree
2 Undergraduate Science Faculty, AAU Sep. 1989-Nov.6, 1993 B.Sc degree
3 Grade 12 Asella Comp. Sec. School Sep.1988-June 1989 Certificate
4 Grade 9-11 Huruta Senior Sec. School Sep. 1985-jun. 1988 Not Applicable

C: Work Experience
Employer organization Position Main Responsibilities Duration
Self-employed Consultant and - Undertaking research
Freelance Worker works in collaboration with
the principal investigators July 1, 2007-
- Supervising the activities Present
of investigation being
undertaken,

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- Assisting in designing
database and analyzing
collected data,
- Assisting in writing up of
the research report,
- etc
Rehoboth Medical - Instructing students taking Apr. 2006- Jun.
College different ICT course works 2006
related practices
Chilalo University DEAN, Academic - Administrative activities Nov. 2003-Feb.
College Dean and Instructor - Managerial functions 2004
- Instructing courses
- Advising students
Jimma Teachers’ - Lecturer - Instructing courses Sep. 1, 2000- Feb.
College - Advising students 29, 2002
- Supervising laboratory
works
- Conducting action and
applied research works
- Attending educational
seminars and workshops as
well as other conferences
offered by experts
- Invigilating examinations
- Marking examination
papers of distance and
extension program students
- Giving tutorial sessions for
distance students as per the
time table of the college
and/or MOE
Bahir Dar Teachers’ - Lecturer - Instructing courses Dec. 1, 1993 – Sep.
College - Assistant - Advising students 30. 1999
lecturer - Supervising laboratory
- Graduate works
Assistant - Conducting action and
applied research works
- Invigilating examinations
- Facilitating and guiding
laboratory works
- Marking laboratory reports
of students
- Setting equipments,
materials and reagents
enquired for the practical
sessions
- Attending educational
seminars and workshops as
well as other conferences

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offered by experts

D: Qualification Areas
Area of experience &
Examples of expertise and qualification
qualification
Sanitation - Basics of the sanitation science principles, guidelines and
recommendations developed and implemented by WHO and
UN member countries
- Assessing sanitation status of communities and prioritizing
promotion and interventional areas
Personal Hygiene - Basics of the personal hygiene principles, guidelines and
recommendations developed and implemented by WHO and
UN member countries
- Assessing personal hygiene status of individuals and food
handlers in urban and rural settings as well as food and
drinking establishments and prioritizing promotion and
interventional areas
Public Health - Basics of the public health related principles, guidelines and
recommendations developed and implemented by WHO and
UN member countries
- Assessing personal public health related problems and
practices, attitudes and knowledge of individuals and HHs in
urban and rural settings and prioritizing promotion and
interventional areas
Human Retrovirology - HIV culturing, phenotyping, sequencing and related issues
- Molecular biology of HIV-1 isolates, HMA, PCR, NASBA,
etc
Immunology - Five differential, coulter counting, PBMC isolation and
storage, FASCan assays, etc
Serology - ELISA, WESTERN- AND Southern blotting, Agglutination
and many others
Microbiology - Almost all laboratory techniques and theoretical principles

E: Computer Related Skills and Knowledge

Area name Skills and Examples of are if relevant
Competenc
ies
Microsoft Word Excellent Processing, editing, writing, etc
Microsoft Excel Excellent Creating; entering, exporting, analyzing, etc of data;
producing reports;
Microsoft Access Excellent Creating and designing charts; entering, analyzing and

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editing data, etc

Microsoft Publisher Excellent
Microsoft PowerPoint Excellent Creating lecture notes, presentation of research works,
etc
Utility software Very good SPSS, IBM SPSS21, Stata Version 8 to Version 12,
Harvard Graphics, Epi-Info version 5 to version 7 and
some others
Programming Good C++, Visual, Visual C+, Visual C++, Java, etc
languages

F: Language Skills

Language type Skills

Reading Writing Speaking Understanding
English Excellent Excellent Very good Excellent
Afaan Oromo Excellent Excellent Excellent Excellent
Amharic Excellent Very good Excellent Excellent
G: Publications

I: Published

[1]. HIV-1 Subtype C Syncytium- and Non-Syncytium-Inducing Phenotypes and Co-Receptor Usage
Among Ethiopian Patients with AIDS. AIDS, 1999; 13(11):1305-1311.

II: Unpublished- I have undertaken and produced some articles listed below only as examples

[1]. Retrospective Evaluation of Ceftriaxone Utilization in Inpatient Wards at Asella Referral and
Teaching Hospital, Central Ethiopia
[2]. Metronidazole Injection Use Evaluation in Inpatient Wards at Asella Referral and Teaching
Hospital, Central Ethiopia
[3]. Assessment of Preference of Pregnant Women for Place of Delivery and Factors Associated with
Institutional Delivery among Ante Natal Care (ANC) Service Attending Women at Asella Town
in Governmental Institutions, Central Ethiopia
[4]. Pregnant Women Preference of Place of Delivery and Factors Associated with Institutional
Delivery among ANC Attending Women at Asella town Governmental Health Facilities
[5]. Magnitude, Factors Associated with Successful Vaginal Birth after Cesarean Section and Its
Outcomes in Bishoftu General Hospital, Ethiopia
[6]. Assessment of the Magnitudes and Correlates of Anemia among Pregnant Women Attending
Antenatal Care Service Clinics in Robe Didea Hospital, Southeastern Ethiopia

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[7]. Mechanical Ventilation Weaning Outcomes and Associated Factors among Patients Admitted to
Adult Intensive Care Unit of Governmental Hospitals, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: Cross-Sectional
Retrospective Study Design
[8]. Assessment of Determinants of Client Satisfaction with Quality of Nursing Care among
Patients Admitted to Adults Ward in Adama Hospital
[9]. Prevalence of Undernutrition and Associated Factors among Family Planning Attendants in
Asella Town Governmental Health Institution, Central Ethiopia
[10]. Prevalence of Protein Energy Malnutrition (PEM) Among Children Six Months to Five Years of
Age in Bilalo Town, Arsi Zone, Ethiopia
[11]. Determinants of Utilization of Integrated Community Case Management Services for Childhood
Illnesses among Mothers in Hetosa Woreda, Arsi Zone
[12]. Prevalence of Undernutrition and Associated Factors among Adult Tuberculosis Patients in
Asella Hospital and Surrounding Health Facilities, Central Ethiopia
[13]. Peoples’ Attitude towards Using Family Planning Methods: The Case Study of Sire Town,
Central Ethiopia
[14]. Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices of Family Planning Methods among Pregnant Mothers
Attending ANC Clinic at Arsi Robe Health Center, South East Ethiopia
[15]. Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices of Mothers towards Prevention and Control of Childhood
Diarrheal Diseases in Gonde Town, Central Ethiopia
[16]. And many others that I could present upon request.
H: Referees

1. Prof. Endashaw Bekele (PhD); AAU, Department of Biology, Tel.: +251947407077.

2. Prof. Yalemtsehay Mekonnen (PhD), AAU, Dept. of Biology, Tel.: +251913244396.
3. Prof. Amare Gessesse (PhD), AAU, Dept. of Biology, Tel.: +251911146855.
4. Dr. Dawit Abate (PhD); AAU, Department of Biology, Tel.: +25111114250.
5. Prof. Beyene Petros (PhD); AAU, Department of Biology, Tel.: +25111114250.

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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
I am grateful to Ato Esan Demissie for his valuable professional assistance in organizing,
analyzing collected data and writing up the report without whom this report is unthinkable.
Furthermore, I like to express my indebtedness to him for his guidance and the relentless
encouragement he gave me for identification of the research title; I am obliged to thank him for
his assistance and support during designing a research report writing up; for his tireless effort in
assisting me with data analysis and for taking his time to explain where and when to use various
statistical tests as well as for his technical support.

Many thanks go to Didea Secondary school management staffs and Grade 10 students for
assisting in analysis of archival and/or documents as well as for their cooperation and
collaboration to undertake collection of required data, and for filling the questionnaire items.

For carefully computer-typing this report and also my family members for their support,
encouragement and reinforcement as well as endurance and patience during which I was allays
from home for long hours to under takes of my practical attachments and to write the report.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

RESUMÉ, CV .................................................................................................................................. i
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ............................................................................................................. vi
TABLE OF CONTENTS.............................................................................................................. vii
ABBREVIATION AND ACRONYMS ........................................................................................ ix
ABSTRACT .................................................................................................................................... x
LIST OF TABLES ......................................................................................................................... xi
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................. 1
1.1 Background of the Study .......................................................................................................... 1
1.2 Statement of the problem .......................................................................................................... 3
1.3 Basic Research Questions ......................................................................................................... 4
1.4 Objective of the Study............................................................................................................... 4
1.4.1 General Objective ........................................................................................................... 4
1.4.2 Specific Objectives ......................................................................................................... 4
1.5 Significance of the Study .......................................................................................................... 5
1.7 Scope of the Study ..................................................................................................................... 5
1.8 Limitations of the Study............................................................................................................ 6
1.9 Organization of the Study ......................................................................................................... 6
CHAPTER TWO: REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE........................................................ 7
2.1. Theoretical and Conceptual Framework ................................................................................ 7
2.1.1. Concepts and Definition of Female Students’ Education .............................................. 7
2.1.2. Female Students Education: A Social Right and Development Imperative .................. 7
2.1.3. Determinants of Female Students’ School Performance in Developing Countries....... 8
2.1.4. Gaps in Female Students’ Academic Performance ..................................................... 10
2.1.5. The MDGs and Female Students Education................................................................ 10
2.1.6. Measuring Female Students’ Secondary School Education Performance................... 11
2.1.7. Female Students’ Education Practice in Ethiopia: Situation Analysis ........................ 12
2.2 Concepts of Academic Performance Measurement ............................................................. 14
2.3 The Importance of Measuring Female Students’ Academic Performance ........................ 17
2.4 Empirical Literature ................................................................................................................ 20

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2.4.1. Socioeconomic Status and Female Students’ Academic Performance ....................... 20

CHAPTER THREE: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY ............................................................... 23
3.1 Study Settings and Period ....................................................................................................... 23
3.2 Study design ............................................................................................................................. 23
3.3 Populations and Sources of Data ........................................................................................... 23
3.3.1 Source Populations ....................................................................................................... 23
3.3.2 Study Populations ......................................................................................................... 23
3.4 Sample Size and Sample Techniques .................................................................................... 24
3.4.1 Sample size Determination ........................................................................................... 24
3.4.2 Sampling technique ...................................................................................................... 25
3.5 Instruments of Data Collection .............................................................................................. 25
3.6 Data Processing and Analyzing Methods ............................................................................. 25
3.6.1 Method of Data Processing........................................................................................... 25
3.6.2 Method of Data Analysis .............................................................................................. 25
CHAPTER FOUR: RESULTS ..................................................................................................... 26
4.1 Socio-Demographic Characteristics of Respondents ........................................................... 26
4.2 Levels of Academic Performance of Female Students ........................................................ 28
CHAPTER FIVE: DISCUSSION ................................................................................................. 33
CHAPTER SIX: SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS ....................... 35
6.1 SUMMARY ............................................................................................................................. 35
6.2 CONCLUSIONS ..................................................................................................................... 36
7. REFERENCES ......................................................................................................................... 37
8. ANNEX..................................................................................................................................... 45

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ABBREVIATION AND ACRONYMS

CSA- Central Statistical Authority

ESDP- Education Sector Development Program

EGSECE- Ethiopia General Secondary Education Certificate Examination

FDRE- Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia

MOE- Ministry of Education

PMO-Prime Minister Office

SPSS- Statistical Package for Social Science

SHIPS- Stop Harassment in Public Schools Project

TGE Transitional Government of Ethiopia

TIMSS- Third International Mathematics and Science study

UNESCO- United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization

UNICEF- United Nations Children Education Fund

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ABSTRACT
Levels of female students’ academic performance at secondary level of education have
paramount impact on their curriculum success, an increment in their number in labor force,
attainment of the targets of MDGs, GEQIP and EFA policy and improvement in their personal
life.

The major objective of the study was to assess levels of academic performance of female
students at Didea secondary school in Grade 10 secondary education in 2008 E. C.

Cross sectional descriptive study design was applied to investigate the issues of the study. Data
was collected from all relevant sources using archival analysis forms and questionnaires.
Participant female students were sampled using systematic random sampling technique.
Collected data was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistical methods of data analysis.

Out of 214 female students that participated in the study, none of them scored below 50 points on
the basis of their average points during the first semester. About 24 percent, 72 percent, 3 percent
and 0.47 percent of them scored in the ranges of 50-to-64, 65-to-79, 80-to-69 and 90 and higher
levels respectively. An overall average academic performance of the involved female students
stood at 67.99. The proportions of female students that scored in the ranges of 80-to-89 and 90-
to-100 were significantly lower than that of the male counter parts of them. Whereas comparable
percentage values of male and female students scored in the ranges of 50-to-64. The academic
performance of female students was statistically significantly lower than the male students in
Didea secondary school.

Pooled average score of female students was 67.99 and this implies that their academic
performance was very low. Moreover, their pooled average score was lower than the male
students. Therefore, proper interventional strategies must be designed and implemented to ensure
attainment of the targets of the MDGs, GEQIP and EFA besides enabling them to get timely
empowerment to ascertain their greater contributions towards national development.

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LIST OF TABLES
Table Page

Table 1: Socio-demographic characteristics of the female students of Grade 10 at Didea secondary

schools in 20008 E. C. academic year or calendar.

Table 2: Numbers and percent of female and male students that achieved academic performance
ranked below in Didea secondary school in 2008 E. C. during the first semester [N=414].

Table 3: Comparison of academic performance female and male students by levels of

achievement remarking category and as overall average using student t-test statistic in Didea
secondary school.

Table 4: The associations among female students’ academic performance and their selves as well
as their parents’ socio-demographic variables in Didea secondary school using χ 2-test statistic.

Table 5: Identified and determined factors that affect the academic performance of students at
Didea secondary school in 2008 E. C.

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CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the Study
School, colleges and universities have no worth without student as students are most essential
asset for any educational institute. The social and economic development of the country is
directly linked with student academic performance. The students’ performance (academic
achievement) plays an important role in producing the best quality graduates who will become
great leader and manpower for the country thus responsible for the country’s economic and
social development (Ali et.al, 2009). Particularly, female students’ academic performance
measurement has received considerable attention at regional and national levels.

In the world of education, the most complex activity seems to be the process of teaching and
learning. As its complexity is more than we think, the problem it faces is also more complex than
one thinks. The problems that education sector encounters hinder the progress of teaching and
learning process, in other hand it affects quality of education negatively.

The Ethiopian Government has taken quite a number of measures particularly aimed at
improving quality of teaching, to enhance students ‘academic achievement in general and
females’ in particular and realizing the importance of quality education.

However, as the government strives to expand education, it also faces the challenge of ensuring
quality, especially for girls. The Ministry of Education in its Education Sector Development
Program (ESDP IV 2010/11- 2014/15) document indicates women’s participation in education is
constrained by economic, socio-cultural, familial, personal and school factors. The economic
problems relate to parents’ inability to send girl children to school especially if schools are far
from home or girls drop out due to lack of finances. The problem is more serious in rural areas,
particularly in pastoralist regions. The traditional division of labor in homes constrains girls’
success in education. School distance and harassment, feelings of discomfort to participate
equally with men are stumbling blocks for female students.

Ethiopia is the one of developing countries expanding education access and performance.
However, the education is characterized by gender inequality. This is not only low enrolment but
also the cases of dropping out and repeating in grades are higher than that of male counterparts.
The constitution of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia (FDRE) Article 35 sub- article

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states “Women have the right to full consultation in the formulation of national development
policies, designing and executing of projects, and specifically in the case of project affecting the
interest of women” (FNG, 1995). As a result, women affairs institutions were established at
various levels in almost all Regional States of Ethiopia, to maximize their contribution to reduce
factors affecting girls schooling as well as in other issues. MOE (1994), Transitional
Government of Ethiopia Education and Training Policy and its strategy document states the
government will provide support to raise the participation and performance of women in
education.

Students’ academic performance can be measured through several ways like classroom
participation, achieved scores on each subject they are taking/learning, their test results and
semester based average scores attained. Some other researcher, they measure student
performance through the result of particular subject or the previous year result (Hijazi & Naqvi,
2006; Hake, 1988; & tho.1994). Scholars define academic achievement differently in different
situations. Academic achievement refers to a successful accomplishment or performance in
particular subject area which is indicated by grades, marks and scores of descriptive
commentaries.

Academic performance also refers to how students deal with their studies and how they cope
with or accomplish different tasks given to them by their teachers in a fixed time or academic
year (Hawis and Hawes, 1982).

Good (1973) stated that achievement encompasses actual accomplishment of the students’ of
potential ability. Gabati, (1988) and Khadivi-Zand, (1982), Kobal and Musek (2001), stated as:

…there are two broad groups of definitions of academic achievement. The

first one could be considered more objective, because it refers to
numerical scores of a pupil’s knowledge, which measure the degree of
pupil’s adaptation to school work and to the educational system. The
second group is a more subjective one, as its determination of academic
success is reliant upon the student’s attitudes towards his academic
achievement and himself, as well as by the attitudes of significant others
towards his/her success and him/herself.

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Female education and achievement is affected by a number of factors such as socio- cultural
beliefs, customs and practices, living standard and level of education of parents.
1.2 Statement of the problem
Women empowerment and increment in their proportion in the labor force are highly dependent
upon better academic performance of them in secondary school education, especially at Grade 10
level. Improvement of female students’ academic performance/achievement requires clear
understanding of socio-economic, socio-cultural, institutional, educational policy issues and
guidelines as well as strategies, and personal and other factors. Without the presence of evidence
and well articulated findings, it is hardly possible to design and implement appropriate
interventional strategies that ensure females empowerment and better academic performance.
The new education and training policy applied in Ethiopia in recent years have, to a greater or
lesser degree, addressed a number of issues of which the introduction of standardized students’
achievement is one. Concerning this point, there seems a gap between what ought to be and what
exists in reality to bring in the intended outcomes of the female academic achievement that could
be because of absence of clear evidence and well documented research findings.

Factors of student's achievement can be investigated in terms of many variables of which some
of them are parental involvement, homework and tutorial, class size, school facilities, teacher
competency and principal’s leadership. For instance, parents with higher income and education
are more likely to have higher expectations for their children’s educational attainment, have
knowledge about their children’s educational options and involve their children in intellectual
activities (Cookson, 1994). These factors have a positive impact on student learning. On the
other side, lower socioeconomic status parents have fewer economic resources from which to
purchase books and other items to improve academic outcomes of their children (Blau, 1999).

In Didea Secondary School no study has been conducted concerning academic performance of
female students’. I recognized that female students’ participation in academic issues and their
success in examinations, including classroom tests, is not as much as expected in relative to male
students’ in Arsi Robe town, i.e., in Didea Secondary school. In spite of these, the proportions of
male and female students who succeeded on grade level academic performance and/or
achievement including EGSECE found to differ. Hence, this study examined patterns and/or
levels of female students’ academic performance/achievement in Didea secondary schools.

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1.3 Basic Research Questions

In the course of the study, the following basic questions were raised and answered.

1. What are the major levels of female students’ academic performance in Didea Secondary
school?
2. What kind of relationships exists between the determined female students’ academic
performance and their parents’ socio-economic status in Didea Secondary school?
3. To what extent female students’ socio-economic statuses affect their academic
performance in Didea secondary school?
4. To what extent do institutional factors affect female students’ academic performance in
Didea secondary school?

1.4 Objective of the Study

1.4.1 General Objective
The major objective of the study was to assess academic performance of Grade 10 female
students’ at Didea Secondary school in 2007 E. C. and 2008 E. C. in their Grade 9 and Grade 10
secondary school education.

1.4.2 Specific Objectives

The specific objectives of the study included the following

1. To assess trends of female students’ academic performance,

2. To determine the relationship between academic performance and parents socio-
economic status,
3. To determine the association between their overall academic performance and the
subjects that were taken by them,
4. To evaluate attrition rate of female students’ in relation to their levels of academic
performance, &
5. To forward appropriate & relevant recommendations and/or conclusions based on the
findings of the study.

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1.5 Significance of the Study

The major purpose of this study is to assess female students’ academic performance in secondary
level of schooling and, to investigate why a smaller population of female students progress in
high schools and preparatory schools and what are the major challenges in Didea Secondary
School.

To this end, the study would have the following significance.

1. This study is a practical step to examine the recent female students’ academic
performance and participation with the emphasis on secondary level
2. It investigates the in school and out of school factors which affect girls ‘educational
achievement and finally to indicate the possible solutions which may help to alleviating
the problems in secondary education
3. The study could indicate the gap between what ought to be and what exists in reality so
that educational administrative bodies of different levels, Woreda, zone and regions
would take corrective measures to fill the identified gaps.
4. It may pose issues that may motivate and/or serve as a reference material for other
researchers and policy makers who are in need to fill the gap in the area.
5. The findings of the study help to enrich existing empirical literature and to broaden
existing body of knowledge on the thematic issues of the study

Generally, the findings of the study have several benefits for educators, educational practitioners
and policy designers and developers. The findings of the study would enrich empirical literature
in the area and also would deepen and broaden knowledge on the thematic issues of the study.

1.7 Scope of the Study

This study focused on the levels of female students’ academic achievement in Didea secondary
school which is one of secondary schools in Arsi zone.

To conduct the research work in all secondary schools in Robe Woreda and/or Arsi zone, it
would be impractical due to constraints of resource and time. The scope of the study is delimited
to Didea secondary school which is one of the three secondary schools in Robe Woreda of Arsi
zone.

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Thus, the target population of the research was delimited to assessment of academic performance
of grade 10 female students who were attending their education at the school in 2008 E. C.
Nevertheless, the study wasn’t addressed the academic performance of grade 10 students in other
academic calendars and/or years, and also in other grade levels within the same school.

In terms of time dimension, the study was delimited to cover 2008 E.C of female students’
academic results during the first semester.

1.8 Limitations of the Study

Shortage of time, lack of prior research experiences and shortage of financial resources were the
major limitations of the study. Uncertainty whether the determined academic performance of
female students reflected their actual levels of performance or not when gauged based on
standardized assessment and examination items was another limitation of the study that had
negative effect on the validity and reliability of the collected data.

The comprehensiveness of this study has been limited by different challenges. For instance, the
attempts made to collect data from record office of the school and students lacked behind
estimated time of data gathering as the female students were reluctant to give the necessary data
on time. Another challenge was lack of well-organized and documented data. Data on some issue
were in a way inconvenient to access immediately from record office. Despite all these
challenges, the researchers have tried to critically analyze the available data to answer the
questions raised in the study.

1.9 Organization of the Study

This thesis was organized in to five chapters. The first chapter was treated the introductory part
that deals with background of the study, statement of the problem, objectives of the study,
significance of the study, delimitation and limitation of the study, and definitions of key terms.

The second chapter discusses the review literature part of the study. In the third chapter, design
and research methodology of the study discussed briefly. Chapter four presents the results of the
study while five details the discussion of major findings, summary of the study, conclusions and
recommendations forwarded based on the findings of the study. At the end of the study paper,
the declaration regarding the paper, references and/ or bibliography are presented followed by
attached appendices.
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CHAPTER TWO: REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

2.1. Theoretical and Conceptual Framework
2.1.1. Concepts and Definition of Female Students’ Education
Education remains the key for unlocking the individual’s intellectual and creative potential
“Education and innovation will be the currency of the 21th century” USAID (FEBRUARY,
2011). In the increasingly open global economy, countries with high rates of female illiteracy
and gender gaps in educational attainment tend to be less competitive, because foreign investors
seek labor that is skilled as well as inexpensive. Various global trends pose special challenges to
women who are illiterate or have limited education (Cynthia B.Lioyd, 2007). Girl’s education is
foundational to human development and critical to broad based economic growth. Few societies
have achieved high and sustained rates of growth or significantly reduced poverty without first
investing in expanding access to quality education. Further, education has proven essential for
developing an informed and active citizenry, required for healthy democratic practice and for
enabling individuals to make smarter choices affecting health and house hold welfare. The
theoretical back ground for this study stems from production function. An education production
function is an application of the socioeconomic concept of a production function to the field of
education. It relates various inputs affecting a student’s learning (schools, families, peers,
neighborhoods, etc) to measure out puts including subsequent labor market success, college
attendance, graduation rates and enrollment rate (Checchi, 2006). Family back ground is usually
characterized by such socio-demographic characteristics as parental education, income, and
family size. Peer inputs, when included, are typically aggregates of student socio-demographic
characteristics or achievement for a school or class room (Rivkin et al., 2005). Granting an equal
opportunity to all school age children to attend school is only the first step “once pupils find
seats in a class room, they need quality and equity, otherwise there will be little motivation to
persist in school” (ICFE 2000, p.8). Unsatisfactory quality is one of the factors leading to poor
academic performance of girls in secondary and tertiary education.
2.1.2. Female Students Education: A Social Right and Development Imperative
Education’s importance has been emphasized by a number of international conventions, the
UDHR, the program of action of the 1994 ICDP, the fourth world conference on women in
Beijing in 1995, recognized that women’s participation in decision making in society and to
improving families wellbeing. In addition, the United Nations has articulated the millennium

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development goals (MDGs), which include goals for improved education, gender equality and
women’s empowerment (MDGs, 2000) while generally in many developing countries boys,
outwit girls in terms of access, performance and retention rates etc, Gender differences, vary
widely across countries as well as within same countries (depending on subject matter, grade
level, etc) ICEF (2000). Many survey result show that generally girls outperform boys at lower
grades usually excelling in literacy while boys outperform girls in numeracy (Maliyamkono and
Ogbu, 1999). But now a day, it is not the importance rather the determinants of girls academic
performance should be brief for parents, schools, and decision making units at all levels. Certain
benefits associated with school performance for girls appear to be nearly universal regardless of
the type and quality of school attended. These include greater gender equity between boys and
girls in time use and work burdens while they remain enrolled (Arends-Kunning and Amin,
2004; LIoyd and Grant, 2005; LIoyd, 2005). A reduced risk of premarital sex, particularly girls
and a decline in rates of early marriage, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa has been reported
(Mensch and Caster, 2005). Furthermore, it appears that adolescents who do become sexually
active while still in school are more likely to use contraception than their same-age peers who are
no longer is secondary school; thus they face less risk of unwanted pregnancy or sexually
transmitted diseases including HIV/AIDS (LIoyd, 2005).
2.1.3. Determinants of Female Students’ School Performance in Developing Countries
The global financial crisis is taking a heavy toll on families and communities everywhere and
when money is short, it is young girls and women who are most affected (plan UK, 2009).
Millions of women have migrated out of their countries and are working abroad; at least half of
all international migrants are women. Young women often see migration as an opportunity but it
can expose them to jobs that are open to exploitation. These include jobs in agriculture, heavy
industry, house hold service, and tourism and entertainment industries in relation to low girls
academic scale and achievement. They send millions of dollars in remittances back to their
homes and families, money spent on food, clothing, education and health care, adding to the
local economy (Because I am a Girl the state of the world’s Girls 2009 Girls in Global economy;
Adding it All up).
Factors responsible for determinants to girl’s education performance can be categorized
according to how one perceives and defines determinants. Determinants to girls’ education
performance can take differential forms across nations /societies depending upon the

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socioeconomic, religious and cultural contexts. Furthermore, determinants can be perceived as

either intrinsic or extrinsic to girls in relation to how they experience educational participation
and performance. As well, some determinants can be obvious while others are subtle and
unstated. What needs to be acknowledged is that the concept of determinants to girls’ education
is highly complex. Hence, for the analysis to be comprehensive, the lived experiential meanings
will have to be unpacked through qualitative, phenomenological and hermeneutic inquiry
processes. Students with parents who were both college educated tended to achieve at the highest
levels. Children whose parents are high educational scores have a better statistical chance of
performing in secondary education (Oloo, 2003), Important factors include parental involvement
in their children education (hammer, 2003). This is further supported by (Ahawa 2009) who
observed than in modern society’s parents’ influence played a very important role in the
academic life of a student. (Otula, 2007) supported this by stating that effective learning involves
partnership of students, teachers and parents. (Ahwa, 2009) observed that parents’ involvement
determines the emotional and material input that further determined the motivation level in
children towards education performance. Socioeconomic status of parents in one way or the
other affects academic achievement. (Omrake, 2001), noted that girls with rich parents have
certain needs, physical and sociological which when met contribute to their academic
performance. A number of explanations have been offered to explain the relative low
performance of girls. They include cultural attitudes towards the education of girls. Girls and
women required to work more inside or outside the home early marriage and pregnancy and less
ambitious expectations by parents etc (ICFE, 2000). Though extra domestic chores are cited, it
still puzzles to see that even girls in boarding schools where such activities are absent, are still
outperformed by boys. It is therefore important to analyze those factors that affect parents’
decision of investing in girl’s secondary education and why it is “convenient” for poor house
hold to educate more boys than girls. The reasons for gender bias in education can be grouped in
to three.
-High costs (both direct and indirect) of sending a girl child to school.
- Low private returns to women’s education.
- Role of women in traditional societies.
Parents’ socioeconomic status which was conceptualized as parents’ education, parents’ income,
and parents’ occupation, is linked to academic performance of girls at secondary school

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(Kyashaba Martha, 2005). Studies show that academic performance is dependent on parents’
socioeconomic status. That is students from high socioeconomic back grounds will perform
better than their counter parts from low socioeconomic back grounds as discussed. This is
supported by (Dills 2006) and (Owens 1999).It also in line with (Hansen and Mastekaasa, 2006)
who argued that according to the cultural capital theory one could expect students from families
who are closest to the academic culture to have greatest success.
2.1.4. Gaps in Female Students’ Academic Performance
The analysis of the causes for the low level of education and in particular of women’s education,
in poor countries must be analyzed by considering both the costs (direct and indirect) and the
returns for the families of sending their children to school (Research No, 03.1 Amon Mbelle
joviter kalabaro). In poor countries, like in developed countries, both private and public returns
to education are positive, better educated people are more productive in market and domestic
activities, earn higher incomes and can spend more on health care for themselves and for their
children. In particular, public returns to female education are very high. Because, better educated
women get married later, are more inclined to accept contraceptive methods, have better job
opportunities and therefore want fewer children. Moreover, better educated women are also more
productive in child rearing activities and spend more for their children health; stimulated the
effect of an increasing in female education. Achieving gender equality in education by 2015 was
the first “missed Millennium Development Goals.” Continued failure to achieve that goal puts
the other MDGs at risk as female education reduces fertility, child malnutrition and child
mortality and promotes higher economic growth (Burns et al, 2003; Herz, 2006; Klasen, 2002,
sen, 1999; Smith and Haddad 1999). Most of the variation in girl’s secondary educational
performance ( around 70%) is explained by factors at the house hold level, of which
socioeconomic factors are most important (Huisman and Smits, 2009; Mingat,2007; Shavit and
Blossfeld,1993; Jencks, 1972; coleman et al, 1996).over all, there is a need for more rigorous
impact evaluations to find what is the most effective and cost effective way of improving
performance in academics to promote girls secondary education (Getting girls in to school, a
development benefit for all number 8 may 2009).
2.1.5. The MDGs and Female Students Education
The UN Millennium summit, held in September 2000, produced a set of eight millennium
development goals (MDGs) covering a range of development issues which is going to be

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addressed by female education directly, reducing child mortality, fighting various infectious
diseases, eradicating illiteracy, and empowering women. The MDGs and their associated targets
and indicators were designed as bench marks for monitoring progress in developing countries
and to provide a frame work for sustaining development and eliminating poverty. The
international community recognizes that unless girls’ education performance improves, few of
the MDGs will be achieved. In addition, the benefits of female education at secondary school
level and further for women’s empowerment and gender equality are broadly recognized.
As female secondary education rises, fertility, population growth, and infant and
child mortality fall and family health improves.
Increases in girls’ secondary school attainment are associated with increases in
women’s participation in the labor force and their contributions to house hold and
national income.
Women’s increased earning capacity, in return, has a positive effect on child
nutrition.
Children especially daughters of educated mothers are more likely to be enrolled
in school and to have higher levels of educational attainment.
Educated women are more politically active and better informed about their legal
rights and how to exercise them.
2.1.6. Measuring Female Students’ Secondary School Education Performance
After achieving success in secondary education, the next logical step would be to evaluate other
aspects of schooling, particularity the quality of schools and teaching. One way of determining
the quality of teaching in schools is by looking at the intermediate outcome of student
performance (Sanders, 1999). There are several ways of evaluating a student’s quality
attributable to secondary education, but the most tractable indicator is how he or she performs in
tests (World Bank, 2003). There are, however, important caveats to using testing as a measure
the quality of schooling. Students’ output quality depends very much on their socioeconomic
status. So in other words, gauging the quality of schools depends on measuring how much
learning value is added to a student who enrolls in particular school. A study in OECD countries
on the role of deviations in students’ characteristics to their performance showed that students
whose parents (especially mothers) have high school certificates or higher qualifications perform
better than their peers (OECD, 2001). Family affluence is also a very decisive factor, although

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students in less affluence families in some OECD countries perform better than the OECD
average (OECD, 2001). The study itself discussed many other differences in student
characteristics and back ground that may contribute to differences in student performance such
as age, family socioeconomic status, culture, language spoken at home and family structure. As
for academic factors, prior academic achievement and family back ground is a key academic
predictor of the students’ further performance at high school levels of study. A number of studies
have shown that it plays a dominant role in predicting students’ learning outcomes (McKenzie
and SchWeitzer, 2001; McKenzie, Gow et al, 2004).
Learning skills and habits have been reported to influence academic performance (Abbott-
Chapman,et al. 1992). Learning strategies and approaches have also been well researched in
relation to academic performance. For example, (Watkings and Hattie, 1981) employed the
Biggs study process Questionnaire (SPQ) (Biggs, 1987), while (Saddler smith, 1996) and (Duff,
Boyle et al., 2004) used the “Revised Approaches to studying Inventory” (RASI) to study the
above relationships. These studies shown that approaches to learning and initial characteristics at
home from families had some predictive value for academic achievement.
2.1.7. Female Students’ Education Practice in Ethiopia: Situation Analysis
Despite progress Ethiopian education indicators are still poor &below sub-Saharan averages,
Ethiopia ranking 126th out of 127 countries in the Education for all (EFA) development index
and it is unlikely to meet the EFA Goals by 2015. The situation is too serious and experienced
with erratic attendance, how completion rate, poor academic score or performance and high
dropout of rural young girls in many secondary schools of the country (EFA global monitoring
Report in 2009). As it is evident from the statistics, Ethiopian boys have more access to
education than Ethiopian girls. As the greatest disparity can be found in secondary education and
adult literacy, action must be taken in order to eliminate the gender gap in the areas (Tadese,
2009). According to the statistics, for every 100 boys enrolled in secondary school education,
there are approximately 77 girls only. The number of female dropouts is high in the country,
especially in the transition from primary to secondary school education. In 2009, only 41% of
girls survived to the last grade of primary school education and there were only 30% enrolled in
secondary school education, over 1.8 million adolescent girls were out of school (UNESCO,
2011).

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The research findings in literature indicated that the set of variables consisting family
characteristics such as socioeconomic status of parents, level of education, occupation, and
income are highly influential in female students’ academic achievement in secondary schools of
Ethiopia (Tadese, 2009). In the context of Ethiopian public school girls are always outperformed
by boys both in size and performance and this is acute in the case of secondary schools. This was
due to the existing disadvantages from home to school agents’ peers and even scholastic
institutions (Tamere, 2010). Girl’s school performance is constrained economic, socio-cultural,
familial, personal and school factors. The economic problems relate to parents’ inability to send
girl children to school especially if schools are far from home or girls dropout due to lack of
finances. The problem is more serious in rural areas, particularly in pastoralist region. The
traditional divisions of labor in homes constrain girl’s success in education. School distance and
harassment, feelings of discomfort to participate equally with men are stumbling blocks for
female students. In addition, dropout in high school is fuelled by the practice of early marriage
and marriage by abduction. Gender equality is already a major priority area and a cross-cutting
issue in ESDP III (MoE, 2010).
Despite this major achievement, the gender gap in education performance prevails at all levels of
the system. The gap becomes more visible as one goes higher up the educational ladder. The
share of girls admitted to secondary and preparatory education is only about a third hand. The
number of female students in TVET is closed to male students, but closer look reveals that
female students are concentrated in areas that are considered female’s (MoE, 2010 Gender
directorate). Especially in the country’s context, few economics studies have attempted to
explore the connection between extrinsic socioeconomic variables and the formation of intrinsic
educational aspirations and performance, with the latter influencing educational outcomes.
Within the household, and how factors such as income, wealth and child age affect the relative
importance of these aspirations, a proxy for decision making power (Gansu survey of children
and families Dissertations university of Pennsylvania year,2009).
2.1.7.1 Factors Affecting Female Students’ Educational Performance in Ethiopia
In Ethiopia, the overall obstacles to advancing female enrollment and achievement in education
are indicated as follows. The first obstacle is the long-standing cultural misconception of the
community and the family more specifically; early and forced marriage, verbal insult, beating up
insecurity, rape etc persist unresolved until now especially at secondary school level (SCA and

13
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Bekele, 2008).
The second obstacle is economic problem related to insufficient involvement of concerned
government bodies, community and parents in mobilizing resources to finance and little focus in
creating sufficient opportunities to girls’ secondary education, the demand by parents on girls’
labor, especially as these parents having low income do not afford to cover costs for stationery
and food and they are reluctant to send their children to school. Those parents, who are in a
position to cover some of the costs, give priority school enrollment opportunity for boys’ child
over their child girl. Girls are forced to excessive work both at home and for income generating
The third obstacle is related to low level of parental socioeconomic status, low level of
awareness on the special support for girls, lack of curriculum design for promoting gender
equality and sexual harassment in school. On the way to and from school, housing problems at
secondary level in particular etc continue to hamper the performance of girls in education.
The fourth obstacle that could mention here is that through there is a strong government
commitment to gender issues, implementing bodies at different levels do not pay attention due to
the absence of accountability (ESDP, 2010). Studies carried out recently include the following
findings that support the aforesaid social, economic and institutional obstacles to the education of
girls. (UNICEF, 2007), harmful traditional practices, parents’ level of understanding to the
education of their child girls, limited implementation capacity of institutions etc are the causes
for low achievement and performance level of girls in secondary school education.
2.2 Concepts of Academic Performance Measurement
School, colleges and universities have no worth without student. Students are most essential
asset for any educational institute. The social and economic development of the country is
directly linked with student academic performance. The students’ performance (academic
achievement) plays an important role in producing the best quality graduates who will become
great leader and manpower for the country thus responsible for the country’s economic and
social development (Ali et.al, 2009). Particularly, female students’ academic performance
measurement has received considerable attention at regional and national levels.
From the last few years in Pakistan literacy rate and education improved and most of the
instituted in Pakistan improving the educational level and produce well educated, competitive
and skilled person, those meet dynamic growing market requirement. That’s a reason the

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researcher find out such factors that effecting student performance, especially in rural areas
where student face lot of problem.
Previously mostly study of student academic performance conducting on such issues like gender
difference, teacher’s education and teaching style, class environment, socio economic factor and
family education background. The finding of this study varies from region to region and their
results differ in cities and rural areas.
This research is focuses on the private colleges in Pakistan. Students of private colleges of
Rawalpindi and Islamabad are taken as population and focuses on the result of the student
performance and their achievements in the academic year.
Students’ academic performance can be measured through several ways like classroom
participation, achieved scores on each subject they are taking/learning, their test results and
semester based average scores attained. Some other researcher, they measure student
performance through the result of particular subject or the previous year result (Hijazi & Naqvi,
2006; Hake, 1988; & tho.1994).
Engin-Demir (2009) stated that education is not a charity rather a fundamental human right for
all people irrespective of their sex, race, economic status which is the key to sustainable
development, peace and stability among countries. In any society, the provision of education is a
fundamental and basic for human resource development. Education represents a major form of
human resources development. Human resource development is determined by the availability
and quality of education. Human resource development constitutes an underlying basis upon
material development. It is a cornerstone for the nation’s fast socio-economic development.
King and Hill (1993) argued that educating females yields far-reaching benefits for girls and
women themselves, their families’ and their societies in which they live. The benefits of
investing in human capital are especially pertinent for women in developing countries where
gender equity in education is often lagging behind. Without educating women, national
endeavors can be less effective and the efforts of women are weaker. Equal opportunity of
education for both sexes is equally important.
In a number of developing countries, the participation of women in education is characterized by
low enrolment and poor performance (Herz, 1991; King and Hill, 1993; Odaga and Heneveld,
1995).

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This chapter discusses the theoretical and analytical aspects of students’ academic performance
with focusing on girls. Accordingly, an attempt has been made to review about female education
and their academic performance by giving emphasis on factors affecting girls’ academic
achievement.
Cary, et. al. (2008:229), defines academic achievement as “performance on task with measures
including comprehension, quality and accuracy of answers of tests, quality and accuracy of
problem solving, frequency and quantity of desired outcome, time or rate to solution, time on
task, level reasoning and critical thinking, creativity, recall and retention, and transfer of tasks.”
Academic achievement refers to a successful accomplishment or performance in particular
subject area. It indicated as by grades, marks and scores of descriptive commentaries. Academic
performance also refers to how students deal with their studies and how they cope with or
accomplish different tasks given to them by their teachers in a fixed time or academic year
(Hawis and Hawes, 1982). The researcher focused on the achievement in the form of of grades
and marks in examinations.
Ferla, et al., (2009), use the notion of academic self-concept referring to individuals' knowledge
and perceptions about themselves in academic achievements, and convictions that they can
successfully perform a given academic tasks at designated levels. They further stated that
academic self-concept represents a more past-oriented, aggregated and relatively stable judgment
about one's self-perceived ability in a particular academic domain while academic self-efficacy
represents a context specific and relatively future-oriented judgment about one's confidence for
successfully performing an upcoming subject-specific academic task.
Good (1973:414) stated that achievement encompasses actual accomplishment of the students’
of potential ability. Gabati, (1988) and Khadivi-Zand, (1982) in Kobal and Musek (2001:889),
stated as:
“…there are two broad groups of definitions of in academic achievement.
The first one could be considered more objective, because it refers to
numerical scores of a pupil’s knowledge, which measure the degree of a
pupil’s adaptation to school work and to the educational system. The
second group is a more subjective one, as its determination of academic
success in reliant upon the student’s attitudes towards his academic

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achievement and himself, as well as by the attitudes of significant others

towards his/her success and him/herself”.
This study focuses on both objective and subjective definitions of academic achievements. The
key objective performance indicator used here is a specific public examination. More subjective
factors are used as explanatory variables.
The Ethiopian Government has taken quite a number of series measures particularly aimed at
improving quality of teaching, to enhance students’ academic achievement and realizing the
importance of quality education.
However, as the government strives to expand education, it also faces the challenge of ensuring
quality, especially for girls. The Ministry of Education in its Education Sector Development
Program (ESDP III 2006- 2011) document indicates the following main points as part of quality
enhancement endeavors.
In the School Improvement Program among the major focus areas student – centered learning,
professional development and collaboration and quality of instructional program to enhance
students’ performance. This was improving teachers’ professional capability in Continuous
Professional Development (CPD) PMO/TGE (1994: 17-18) stated that the achievements have
been seriously affected due to economic difficulties. And the enrolment of students in all levels
of education is male biased, the tertiary level being worse.
Generally, Ethiopia is the most disadvantaged country in education access and performance in
the world which is also characterized by gender inequality. This is not only low enrolment but
also the cases of dropping out and repeating in grades are higher than that of male counterparts.
2.3 The Importance of Measuring Female Students’ Academic Performance
Good performance in secondary school is very important for a country’s future success. A person
who is successful in education that plays an important role in nation building. Education helps to
increase the basic physical and material wellbeing of the people of a given society’s in economic,
social and cultural development aspects. It also helps to increase the people of a given society’s
basic physical and material wellbeing of economic, social and material developments (UNESCO,
2002:17). In addition, educating girls enhance economic productivity, reduces fertility rates,
lower infant and maternal mortality and improves the health and nutritional status of children. It
also promotes sound management of environmental resources and is closely linked to the
reduction of poverty through women’s absorption in the economy as employees and in self –

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employment. Education is an indispensable means for effective participation in the society and
economies of the twenty-first century which is influenced by globalization (King, 1990:2). It has
a direct and positive effect on earnings, farm productivity and human fertility, as well as
intergenerational effect on child health and nutrition. Therefore, the education of females has
particular significance to Ethiopia’s effort to economic and social development.
Hertz and Khandker (1991) expressed their belief that economic and social returns to education
for women are substantial. Research report of World Bank (1980d, 1984f, and a policy paper of
WB 1986a), asserted that female education is linked with latter marriage, lower fertility rates, the
desire for smaller families and increased practice of contraception. The relationship becomes
very much stronger as level of female’s education increases.
Consequently (Cochrane, 1979; Schultz, 1989) based on research for different countries,
suggested that on average, an additional year of schooling for women is associated with a 5 –
10% reduction in child mortality under five years of age. With this regard today girls’ education
is widely recognized as the most effective development investment a country can make.
For the gain from education to be realized fully, it is highly important to increase the
participation of women in all sectors. It empowers them with basic knowledge of their rights,
individuals and citizens of their nation and the world. This would in turn help women to place
themselves on a more equal footing with their male counter parts (Schultz, 1993:51 – 73).
Educated women raise a healthier family, apply improved hygiene and nutrition practice, and
become productive both at home and work places. In addition, it initiates women to apply family
planning which helps them to have relatively fewer and better educated children (King, 1990:1).
According to Gary Becker’s Human Capital Theory (1968), wages differ because jobs differ and
workers differ. Each worker brings a unique set of skills and ability to the labor force (human
capital) determines their compensation. This theory defines economic success as completing high
school with improved academic performance and therefore aims to determine the human capital
investments that determine this “economic success” (pp 75).
The difference in wage is biased against women as they are challenged by deep rooted socio
economic patterns in many nations over time by ignoring not only individual benefit but also
marginalizing the expected communal success in economic growth. Essentially, women’s
educational attainment and performance influences women’s occupation and earnings, which are
themselves indicators of women’s status. Also it allows women to make better informed

18
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decisions about affairs in their own household. Educational attainment creates better household
which in turn determines the overall socio economic status of the community (Ingrum, 1999).
Moreover, this study assumes that mothers with higher levels of education enjoy higher
socioeconomic status and also their daughters. Substantial evidence shows that educated girls,
especially those who have completed secondary education, were less likely to marry young , to
have an unwanted pregnancy and to engage in high risk behavior such as drug abuse and un safe
sex(Binyam,2009). In particular, female education at the late primary school levels has been
show in a number of studies to be closely related to lower fertility and improved child health
measured by lower infant and child mortality or improved nutritional status. In addition, it has a
multiplier effect since it also has an impact on mother’s desire and ability to educate her children
and female education is shown to have a greater effect on these factors than male education. In
similar vein the Economist (2006) quoted in Binyam (2009) stated that one mechanism for
developing countries to bring a better life standard of people is to invest in education of girls. In
its view of far reaching advantage of girl’s education, the article continued to state that “not only
will educated women be more productive, but they were also bring up better educated and
healthier children. More girls in Government office could also boost Economic growth.” As
different factors are considered for the educational performance of young adolescent girls at their
higher schools, parental, peer and personal factors were emphasized in the paper and it is also
evident that the current investment priority given to the expansion of primary school by
Ethiopian government is in line with the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). This
expansion would therefore be a key entry point for the long term development performance at
secondary schools. Therefore realities in Ethiopia, as in most developing countries, fewer girls
go to, stay in and graduate from high school. In 2012/13 and 2014/15, the national gross
enrollment ratio for grades secondary school education was 37.15% and 40.80% for girls
respectively with 0.77% and 0.91 GPI (UNESCO year ending in, 2015). In Ethiopia besides for
low enrollment and completion rates, many enrolled girl students display week academic
performance and it is unclear what educational policies would improve their performance.
Quality of schools, experience and years of schooling for teachers are more or less universal over
regions in the country to determine girl’s academic performance in high schools. In most cases,
of performance of girls at secondary school is much lower than that of their counter parts of male
students. In the area deep rooted traditional and local expectation of girl’s future and existing

19
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social role in combination with other factors hurdles the academic performance of girls by
affecting their average score at exam. Therefore, the existing level of low girl’s school
performance with pronounced level of school wastage in terms of dropout, repeat, delayed
enrollment and low completion rates causes to identify the empirical evidence over this thesis.
Available baseline evidence indicate that the number of students is decreasing when the level of
grades advanced from primary to secondary school and this is highly pronounced in girls than
boys. In similar case, learning at secondary school is highly influenced by dropout, grade failure
and low performance rate at exam (Arsi Robe Woreda Education office, 2014/15).
Low and unsupportive perception of the community towards girls schooling simply allows them
to attend elementary school until their age reaches 13 and 14. After the age of 14, most girls
discontinue their education due to early marriage or they move to urban areas and outside the
country mainly to the Gulf States in search of employment. Hence, performance is by far
affected by low motivation, peer and family affection at secondary school (Arsi Robe Woreda
Education office, 2014/15). For the base of analysis the outcome variable relied with the data
collected from female students under the schools based on the school tests of 2015/16 academic
year during the first semester.
2.4 Empirical Literature
2.4.1. Socioeconomic Status and Female Students’ Academic Performance
Educational services are often not tangible and are difficult to measure because they result in the
form of transformation of knowledge, life skills and behavior modifications of learners (Tsinidou
et al., 2010). So there is no commonly agreed upon definition of quality that is applied to
education field. The definition of quality of education varies from culture to culture (Michael,
1998). The environment and the personal characteristics of learners play an important role in
their academic performance. The school personnel, number of the families and Communities
provide help and support to students for the quality of their academic performance. This social
assistance has a crucial role for the accomplishment of performance goals of students at school
(Goddard, 2003). Besides the social structure, parents’ involvement in their child’s education
increases the rate of academic performance of their girl students at secondary school
(Furstenberg and Hughes, 1995). Above and beyond the other demographic factors, the effects of
socioeconomic status are still prevalent at the individual level (Capraro, M-, capraro, R, and
Wiggins, 2000). The socioeconomic can be deliberated in a number of different ways; it is most

20
 ‫دمسي درخ‬

often calculated by looking at parental education, occupation, income and facilities used by
individuals separately or collectively. Parental education and socioeconomic status level have
positive correlations with the girl student’s quality of achievement and performance at their
secondary school (Caldas and Bankston, 1977; Jeynes, 2002; Parelius, D., and parelius,A., 1987;
Mitchell and collom, 2001; Ma And Klinger, 2000). The girl students with high level of
socioeconomic status perform better than the middle class students and the middle class students
perform better than the students with low level of socioeconomic status (Garzon and Kahlenberg,
2006; Kirkup,2008). The achievement of students is negatively correlated with the low level of
parent’s socioeconomic status because it hinders the individual in gaining access to sources and
resources of learning (Duke, 2000 Eamon, 2005; Lopez, 1995). Low level of socioeconomic
status is strongly affects the achievement of students, dragging them down to a lower level
(Sander, 2001). This effect is most visible at secondary and post- secondary level (Trusty,
2000).it is also observed that the economically disadvantaged parents are less able to afford the
cost of education of their children at higher levels and consequently they do not work at their
fullest potential (Rouse and Barrow, 2006). Academic performance refers aptitude (ability,
development and motivation), instruction (amount and quality), Environment (home, peers and
television), (Roberts, 2007; Marzano, 2003). The academic performance of girl students heavily
depends upon the parental involvement in their academic activities to attain the higher level of
quality in academic success (Barnard, 2004; Henderson, 1998; Shumox and Lomax, 2001).
There is a range of factors that affect on the quality of performance of girl students at their high
schools (Waters and Marzano, 2006). These variables are inside and outside school that affect
students’ quality of academic achievement. These factors may be termed as student factors,
family factors and peer factors (Crosnoe et al., 2004). (Sakho, 2003) carried out a study of the
determinants of academic performance of HEC-Lausanne graduates using an econometric
(Tobit) model. He analyses econometrically the relationship between different variables and the
average grade obtained during the license studies by 156 students. The finding suggest that a
large number of different factors related with the personal and family back ground interact
together in order to explain the variation of HEC students’ performance.
(Akanle, 2007) was studied socioeconomic factors influencing students’ academic performance
in Nigeria using some explanations from a local survey. The major instrument used in collecting
data for the study was the self- developed instrument tagged socioeconomic and academic

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performance rating scale of the students, using the concepts of financial capital, human capital,
and social capital (Chow, 2000) attempted to disentangle the major factors which affected the
academic performance of 368 recent Hong Kong immigrant students’ attending 26 different
public high schools in Toronto. Results of the ordinary least square regression analysis used
indicated that parental back ground, higher self-rated socioeconomic status and higher level of
English proficiency were significantly and positively related to academic performance. There is
evidence that in poorer countries family characteristics are more important for educational
achievement than it richer ones (long, 2006; Heinemann and Loxley, 1983). (Jing-lin, 2009)
studied the determinants of students’ academic performance using a multiple regression analysis.
The perceived importance of learning success to family, English writing ability and
communication are significant predictors for all international secondary school and under
graduate students. The study instead of using multi-nominal logit or probit model has employed
the ordinary least squares (OLS) procedure in determining the determinants of academic
performance (Nottingham University, UK Rank 20). Academic performance is measured by the
average mark obtained by the average mark in percentages (Stricker and Rock, 1995). The
measurement used to the dependent variables allows analyzing the distribution of performance
across the students and the level of motivation needed to improve the academic performance.
In similar cases, with respect to the determinants of academic performance, there are several
studies based on the OLS estimation. (Spector and Mazzeo, 1980) produced the first study that
applied a qualitative model to determine academic performance. However, their ordered probit
analysis concentrated on the probability of getting a letter grade of “A” versus the probability of
not getting an “A”. Because, there are more than two categories in a grading system, the study
fails to give enough evidence.

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CHAPTER THREE: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

3.1 Study Settings and Period
The study was conducted from March 16-31, 2016 in Didea Secondary school that has shared the
same compound with Didea Preparatory school; and hence the school is known as Didea
Secondary and Preparatory School. The was established in 1974 E. C. on 40, 000m2 acre of land
in Arsi Robe town, the capital town of Robe Woreda in the southern periphery of it. It is located
about 200 km far away from Addis Ababa city in the south eastern direction and at about 96 km
from Asella town, the capital city of Arsi zone, in the north eastern direction. Didea secondary
school is one of the three secondary schools found in Robe Woreda of Arsi zone.
Agroclimatically, it is located in the Woina Dega climate. The mean annual temperature and
rainfall of the town are about 21ºC and 1450mm respectively. It receives and enrolls students for
first cycle of the secondary school education from eight primary schools located within the
catchment areas of the school.
Totally, there are 435 female students attending their Grade 10 secondary education at Didea
Secondary school in this academic calendar.
The school has 7/8 blocks that are used for all of its activities and functions including instruction,
administration, management, storage, library, laboratory classes and toilets. It offers the
education in two shift system inside 17 classrooms; according to the present reality, there are 50
students per a classroom on the average. There are football, volleyball, basket ball and table
tennis playing grounds used by the school.
3.2 Study design
A cross sectional descriptive survey study design was employed to investigate academic
performance of female students in Didea Secondary school in 2008 E. C. during the first
semester of the year.
3.3 Populations and Sources of Data
3.3.1 Source Populations
All female students enrolled at Didea Secondary school and attending Grade 10 secondary
education in 2008 E. C. at the school were the source populations for the study.
3.3.2 Study Populations
All archival and all Grade 10 female students attending their secondary level education during
the specified study period were the study populations.

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 ‫دمسي درخ‬

3.4 Sample Size and Sample Techniques

3.4.1 Sample size Determination
The sample size of MSEs was determined using the formula of sample size determination for
single proportion population, i.e,

n = Z2p(1-p)/d2; Where,

n=Sample size for single proportional population

Z= the value of the normal distribution at 95 percent level of confidence; and hence Z=1.96.

p= the portability of randomly selecting the participant from the study population; and since it is
random; its value is equal to 0.5.

q=1-p=1.0-0.5; so q=0.5 and

d=is the possibility or chance of committing error while sampling; and as the level of confidence
is set at 90 percent, its value is 0.05.

S0,

n=1.962X0.5X0.5/0.052

=384

So, the sample size was 384 for infinite population.

Since the source population is finite, the calculated sample size was adjusted using the formula
for adjusting the sample size for finite population as shown below.

na= n/[1+n/N]; where

na= 384/[1+384/435]

n= 203.96.

To minimize non-response rate and to maximize response rate, five percent of the calculated
sample size was added to it. Accordingly,

24
 ‫دمسي درخ‬

Nf= na + 0.05Xna

= 204 + 0.05X204

= 214.

Thus, 214 female students attending their education at Didea Secondary school in 2015/16
academic calendar was the final sample size of female students that were included in the study.

3.4.2 Sampling technique

In this study systematic random and judgmental sampling techniques were employed in the
determining and selecting the study participant female students and archival or documents that
were used as source of required data.

3.5 Instruments of Data Collection

Necessary and relevant data were collected using archival analysis form (Annex IV) and
questionnaires (Annex III) were the applied or used data collection instruments that were
developed based on reviewed literature.

The questionnaires consisted of 18 question items that were employed to collect data on the
socio-economic status of the participant female students and their parents. Whereas the archival
analysis form had five variables, i.e., students’ ages, enrolment year for secondary school
education at Didea Secondary school, achievement during the first semester and subject specific
performance during the stated period.
3.6 Data Processing and Analyzing Methods
3.6.1 Method of Data Processing
Collected data were proof-read, edited, coded and tallied.
3.6.2 Method of Data Analysis
Processed data was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistical method of data analysis.
Analyzed data and information were presented using frequency tables and pictorial
representations.

25
 ‫دمسي درخ‬

CHAPTER FOUR: RESULTS

4.1 Socio-Demographic Characteristics of Respondents
The response rate of the study is 100 percent. The mean age of the female students is determined
to be 17.26 years [17.26 ±1.164 years]. Out of the total participated female students, 52.28
percent were 17 years old; 20.56 percent were 16 years old; and the rest were 18 and above years
old. Majority [94.39%] of them attended first cycle secondary education only for two years. Just
about five points higher than half of the students’ parity order was second and higher. About
69% of the students’ parents are in marital relationship followed by widow(er) [17.29%]. The
fathers’ of about 44 percent of the students attained secondary level of education and less while
that of 28.04 percent diploma and higher levels of education; and that of 17.76% had received
certificates from TTI tertiary learning institutions. The educational status of their mothers and
other features of the students and their parents are detailed in table 1 presented below.

Table 1: Socio-demographic characteristics of the female students of Grade 10 at Didea secondary

schools in 20008 E. C. academic year or calendar.

Values in
S.N. Variable Feature Number Percent
16 Years 44 20.56
17 Years 113 52.80
Age of the 18 Years 38 17.76
2
student 19 Years 6 2.80
20+ Years 13 6.07
Total 214 100.00
Orthodox 101 47.20
Protestant 15 7.01
Religion of
3 Muslims 95 44.39
the student
Others 3 1.40
Total 214 100.00
Amhara 44 20.56
Gurage 3 1.40
Ethnicity of
4 Oromo 164 76.64
the student
Others 3 1.40
Total 214 100.00
Illiterate 7 3.27
Educational Read and Write 10 4.67
5 status of
fathers Primary 15 7.01
Secondary 67 31.31

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 ‫دمسي درخ‬

TTI 55 25.70
Diploma 37 17.29
First degree+ 23 10.75
Total 214 100.00
Illiterate 13 6.07
Read and Write 16 7.48
Educational Primary 19 8.88
6 status of Secondary 70 32.71
mothers TTI 56 26.17
Diploma 38 17.76
Total 214 100.00
Farmers 73 34.11
Current Merchant 31 14.49
occupation of Gov’tal Employee 70 32.71
7
students’ Employee of NGOs 24 11.21
fathers Others 16 7.48
Total 214 100.00
House Wife 88 41.12
Current Self-employed 18 8.41
occupation of
8 Gov’tal Employee 87 40.65
students’
mothers Employee of NGOs 21 9.81
Total 214 100.00
Parents Rural 153 71.50
9 residential Urban 61 28.50
place Total 214 100.00
CI 12 5.61
Gross CII 51 23.83
monthly CIII 86 40.19
10 income of
students’ CIV 38 17.76
parents CV 27 12.62
Total 214 100.00
Unmarried 11 5.14
Marital status Married 147 68.69
11 of students’ Divorced/cee 19 8.88
parents Widow/er 37 17.29
Total 214 100.00
st
1 Bornt 96 44.86
2nd Bornt 48 22.43
Parity order of
12 3rd and above but not last 28 13.08
the student
Last Bornt 42 19.63
Total 214 100.00
Years of 2 Years 202 94.39
13 secondary 3+ Years 12 5.61
attendance Total 214 100.00

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 ‫دمسي درخ‬

4.2 Levels of Academic Performance of Female Students

The academic performance of female students versus their male counter parts during the first
semester at Didea secondary school in the specified academic calendar is presented below in
detail [Table 2]. As evident from the table, based on their average performance none of the
females and males achieved scores less than 50 points during the first semester. The percent of
male students who scored in the ranges of 50-to-64 and 65-to-79 [or less than or equal to good
remarking levels of students’ scores based on the regional and national students achievement
ranking cut-off points] are higher than their female counter parts. Whereas, the percent of female
students who scored in the ranges of 80-to-89 and 90 and above [or greater than or equal to very
good remarking levels of students’ scores based on the regional and national students
achievement ranking cut-off points] are significantly lower than their male counter parts [p-
values were determined 0.0000 and 0.0020 respectively; Table 2 and Table 3].

Table 2: Numbers and percent of female and male students that achieved academic performance
ranked below in Didea secondary school in 2008 E. C. during the first semester [N=414].

Achv’t Females in Males in BOTH sexes in

Category No. % No. % No. %
<50 0 0.00 0 0.00 0 0.00
50-64 52 24.30 68 34.00 120 28.99
65-79 154 71.96 106 53.00 260 62.80
80-89 7 3.27 14 7.00 21 5.07
90+ 1 0.50 12 6.00 13 3.14
Total 214 100.00 200 100.00 414 100.00

The highest proportion of them scored in the range of good remark followed by satisfactory.
Only 0.47% (one student) scored in the range of excellent, i.e., 90+ while insignificant percent or
proportion of female students’ scored in the range of very good remarking level based on average
scores rating scheme of the FDRE’s MOE and OEB of the Oromia regional state (Table 2 and 3).

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 ‫دمسي درخ‬

Table 3: Comparison of academic performance female and male students by levels of

achievement remarking category and as overall average using student t-test statistic in Didea
secondary school.

ACAD.PERFO F M BOTH SEXES DF tCalc p-value

RMANCE
MEAN SD MEAN SD MEAN SD

50-64 62.98 1.9235 61.83 2.15917 62.60 1.9220 118 -3.029 0.0300

65-79 68.87 3.2967 68.33 3.9200 68.45 3.57815 258 -1.194 0.2340

80-89 82.25 1.8147 86.83 1.5745 85.31 1.6584 19 5.986 0.0000

90+ 90.42 0.0000 95.57 1.2214 95.18 1.1735 11 4.055 0.0020

SUM 67.99 3.97125 69.53 3.16425 68.50 3.0667 412 2.454 0.0150

Table 4: The associations among female students’ academic performance and their as well as
their parents’ socio-demographic variables in Didea secondary school using χ 2-test statistic.

Academic Performance
Variable
Feature 50- 65-79 80- 90+ Total DF χ2Calc p-value
16 64
18 23 89
1 0 44
17 18 91 3 1 113
18 9 28 1 0 38
Ages of the students 19
19.400
3 2 1 0 6

0.079
+
20 4 8 1 0 13 12
Total 52 154 7 1 214
First 12 81 3 0 96
Second 17 30 1 0 48
Parity order of the
Third and higher 15 12 1 0 28
28.900

student
0.000

Last 8 31 2 1 42
Total 52 154 7 1 214 9
Bachelor 6 3 2 0 11
Married 30 113 3 1 147
Marital status of
Divorced/cee 10 8 1 0 19
students’ parents
27.500

0.001

Widow/er 6 30 1 0 37
Total 52 154 7 1 214 9

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 ‫دمسي درخ‬

Illiterate 6 1 0 0 7
Read and write 4 6 0 0 10
Primary 4 10 1 0 15
Secondary 17 49 1 0 67
Fathers’ ES
TTI 15 39 1 0 55
Diploma 6 29 2 0 37

33.900

0.013
First degree+ 2 18 2 1 23
Total 52 154 7 1 214 21
Illiterate 6 7 0 0 13
Read and write 7 9 0 0 16
Primary 8 10 0 0 19
Mothers’ ES Secondary 19 50 1 0 70
TTI 8 46 2 0 56

25.000

0.049
Diploma 4 30 3 1 38
Total 52 154 7 1 214 21
Farmer 14 57 2 0 73
Merchant 11 20 0 0 31
GE 10 56 3 1 70
Father’s occupation
NGO’S E 3 19 2 0 24

0.0000
48.000
UE 14 2 0 0 16
Total 52 154 7 1 214 9
HW 9 77 2 0 88
SE 6 11 1 0 18
Mother’s occupation GE 25 58 3 1 87

30.100
NGO’S E

0.000
13 7 1 0 21
Total 52 154 7 1 214 9
CI 7 4 1 0 12
CII 9 41 1 0 51
Gross monthly CIII 13 69 3 1 86
income of students’
parents CIV 13 24 1 0 38
0.0463
21.291

CV 10 17 0 0 27
Total 52 154 7 1 214 12
Yes 16 105 6 1 128
25.400

Motivated and
0.000

No 36 49 1 0 86
supported?
Total 52 154 7 1 214 3
Urban 7 51 2 1 61
Parents residential
8.265

0.048

Rural 43 104 5 0 153

place
Total 52 154 7 1 214 3

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 ‫دمسي درخ‬

As clearly evident from the above table, the academic performance of the female students at
Didea secondary school is dependent on several socio-demographic characteristics of the
students and their parents. For instance, the academic performance levels of the involved female
students are significantly dependent on their parents’ gross monthly income [χ2Calc=21.291; p-
value=0.0463]; residential places of their parents [χ2Calc=8.265; p-value=0.048]; marital status of
students’ parents [χ2Calc=27.500; p-value=0.0010]; fathers’ educational status [χ2Calc=33.900; p-
value=0.013]; mothers’ educational status [χ2Calc=25.000; p-value=0.049 ]; father’s occupation
[χ2Calc=48.000; p-value=0.000]; mother’s occupation [χ2Calc=31.000; p-value=0.000]; parity order
of the students [χ2Calc=28.900; p-value=0.000]; availability of motivation/help and support from
their parents regarding with education and/or study [χ2Calc=25.4000; p-value=0.000] among
others.
Therefore, the following socio-demographic features of the students and their parents are
identified and determined as the determinants of their academic performance in Didea secondary
school in 2008 [or 2015/16] academic calendar. These are:
Parents residential places,
Parity order of the students,
Years of secondary school attendance,
Gross monthly income of students’ parents,
Students’ Mothers occupation,
Students’ Fathers occupation,
Mother’s Educational Status, and
Father’s educational status among others listed in Table 5 given below.
Table 5: Identified and determined factors that affect the academic performance of students at
Didea secondary school in 2008 E. C.

S. N. List of identified factors’ affecting academic performance of Rank

students

1 Parents residential places 10.0

2 Absence/presence of motivation, help and support from family 4.0

members with students education

3 Gross monthly income of students’ parents 8.0

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 ‫دمسي درخ‬

4 Students’ Mothers occupation 1.5

5 Students’ Fathers occupation 1.5

6 Mother’s Educational Status 6.5

7 Father’s Educational Status 6.5

8 Marital status of Students’ parents 5.0

9 Parity order of the students 3.0

10 Years of secondary school attendance 9.0

11 Gender of the students 11

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CHAPTER FIVE: DISCUSSION

The academic performance of the female students was significantly lower than their male
counterparts. This finding of the study was highly consistent with the findings of many others
who conducted cross-sectional studies in different parts of the country and also in other countries
at different periods of time ( ).

Unlike the findings of the present study, previously reported studies that addressed the academic
performance of the female students at secondary school levels emphasized factors that affect
their academic performance and participation rather than their levels of academic performance in
their secondary levels of education ( ).

Moreover, the levels of the female students’ academic performance at Didea secondary school
were lower than expectations and targets. Because, levels of academic performance of most
female students in the study fell in the categories of good level of remarking students’
achievements followed by satisfactory level of academic performance. With this regard,
empirical findings of other studies done by independent investigators in Ethiopia and other parts
of the world revealed that the academic performances of female students were significantly low
and below the local, regional and national targets respectively (Wakgari and Teklu, 2013;
Tesfaye, 2014; Tadesse, 2009; Yonas, 2012; Tsegay Alem Siyoum, 2014; FasikaTadesse ,
Shemelis Zewdie & Temesgen Dagne, 2015; Alexander, 2010).

Again, there was a significant gender disparity in academic performance in Didea secondary
school. This finding is consistent with the findings of others reported previously (Wakgari and
Teklu, 2013).

Levels of female students’ academic performance were affected by socio-demographic

characteristics of the students and that of their parents. In relation to this finding, the findings of
Tesfaye (2014), Tadesse (2009), Yonas (2012), Tsegay Alem Siyoum (2014), FasikaTadesse ,
Shemelis Zewdie & Temesgen Dagne (2015), Alexander (2010) and many others identified that
parents’ involvement in students learning, socio-economic status of the parents, parity of the
female students, parental residential places, distance from the school, etc as determinants of the
academic performance of female students.

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 ‫دمسي درخ‬

Therefore, improving female students’ academic performance deserve manipulating the affecting
factors and/or developing and implementing appropriate interventional strategies that effectively
enhance their levels of academic performance as well as overall achievemts in the secondary
schools.
The poor academic performance of female students were mainly accounted by the impact of
adversely affecting factors that emanated from the students’ parents socio-demographic factors
and that of the female students’ themselves.
Thus, based on the findings of the study it is more likely to infer that enhancement of overall
efficiency, market opportunities, social status, individual advancement, attainment of the targets
of MDGs, GEQIP and EFA policy are hardly attainable in accordance to the current academic
performance of female students in secondary schools, particularly in Grade 10 secondary
education as this grade level is the turning point for promotion to preparatory level of education
and tertiary learning institutions as well as in joining the labor market in the near future.

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 ‫دمسي درخ‬

CHAPTER SIX: SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS

6.1 SUMMARY
The mean age of the female students was determined to be 17.26 years [17.26 ±1.164 years].
Majority [94.39%] of them attended first cycle secondary education only for two years. Just
about five points higher than half of the students’ parity order was second and higher. About
69% of the students’ parents were in marital relationship followed by widow(er) [17.29%]. The
fathers’ of about 44 percent of the students attained secondary level of education and less while
that of 28.04 percent diploma and higher levels of education; and that of 17.76% had received
certificates from TTI tertiary learning institutions.
Based on their average performance none of the females and males achieved scores less than 50
points during the first semester. The percent of male students who scored in the ranges of 50-to-
64 and 65-to-79 were higher than their female counter parts whereas, the percent of female
students who scored in the ranges of 80-to-89 and 90 and above [or greater than or equal to very
good remarking levels were significantly lower than their male counter parts [p-values were
determined 0.000 and 0.0020 respectively]. The highest proportion of them scored in the range
of good levels of students’ academic performance or achieved scores remark followed by
satisfactory. Only 0.47% (one student) scored in the range of excellent.
The academic performance of the female students at Didea secondary school is dependent on
several socio-demographic characteristics of the students and their parents. Academic
performance levels of the involved female students are significantly dependent on their parents’
gross monthly income [χ2Calc=21.291; p-value=0.0463]; residential places of their parents
[χ2Calc=8.265; p-value=0.048]; marital status of students’ parents [χ2Calc=27.500; p-value=0.0010];
fathers’ educational status [χ2Calc=33.900; p-value=0.013]; mothers’ educational status
[χ2Calc=25.000; p-value=0.049 ]; parity order of the students [χ2Calc=28.900; p-value=0.000];
availability of motivation/help and support from their parents regarding with education and/or
study [χ2Calc=25.4000; p-value=0.000] among others. Levels of academic performance of the
female students were found to be influenced by various socio-demographic variables of the
participant female students and that of their parents.

35
 ‫دمسي درخ‬

6.2 CONCLUSIONS
The overall academic performance of the female students based on their average scores during
the first semester of the academic calendar fall in the range of 65-79 (67.98±2.9712). Thus, their
academic performance is low and significantly less than that of the male counter parts.
Levels of academic performance of the female students was moderately independent of their
ages (2=19.400; p-value=0.079). Again years of secondary schooling, parity order of the female
student, parent’s marital status, fathers’ and mothers’ educational status and occupation,
availability of support and motivation from the family members, gross monthly income of their
parents and residential places of the female students’ parents as well as other socio-demographic
features of their parents found to influence the levels of academic performance of them in Didea
secondary school.
6.3 RECOMMENDATIONS
Proper interventional strategies should be designed and implemented; or else the effectiveness
and comprehensiveness of GEQIP that was already developed and implemented must be revised
and proper measures should be taken in order to ensure academic performance and success;
competitiveness of females in the labor market and empowerment of women; attainment of one
of the targets and goals of the MDGs submitted by the UN and also that of EFA policy targets
(or the Dakar EFA Forum’s).
Factors that were identified and determined to influence the academic performance of female
students should be addressed and manipulated to promote attainment of the targets of EFA
framework of action, MDGs and national and regional GEQIP plan.
Finally, it is necessary to undertake deeper and broader investigation into the thematic issues of
the study in order to make more relevant and appropriate recommendations for all female
students attending their secondary level of education in Oromia regional state and in the country
as well.

36
 ‫دمسي درخ‬

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8. ANNEX
8.1 Annex I: Questionnaires
Section I: Demographic profile of respondents
Please indicate the following by ticking (√) on the spaces in front of the response options:
Questionnaires

1. Age (in completed years): a) 16 b) 17 c) 18 d) 19 e) 20+

2. Age at enrolment for Grade 1 primary education was___years. A) 5 b) 6 c) 7
d) 8 e) 9+
3. Ethnicity: a) Amhara b) Gurage c) Oromo d) Others
4. Parity (birth) order: a) First b) Second c) Third+ d) Last
5. Your mother’s educational status is: a) Illiterate b) Read and write c)Primary
d) Secondary e) TTI f) Diploma g) First degree+
6. Your father’s educational status: a) Illiterate b) Read and write c)Primary d)
Secondary e) TTI f) Diploma g) First degree+
7. Your father’s current occupation: a) Farmer b) Employee of Gov’tal
organization c) Employee of NGOs d) Unemployed
8. Your mother’s current occupation: a) House wife b) Self-employed c)
Employee of Gov’tal Organization d) Employee of NGOs
9. Gross monthly income of your family (parent);: a) 5000 ETB b) 501-1500 ETB
c) 15001-3500 ETB d) 3501-5000 ETB e) 5001+ ETB
10. Your parent’s marital status: a) Unmarried b) Married c) Divorced d) Widow
11. Did you get motivation, support, help and reinforcement from your family members with
your education? A) Yes b) No
12. For how long have you attended secondary school education? A) Two Years
b) Three years and above
13. Residential place of your parent is: a) Rural b) Urban

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8.2 Annex II: ARCHIVAL ANALYSIS FORM

ACHIEV’T Gender AGE in completed years

CATEGORY Female Male Both Sexes Female Male
+
NO % NO % NO % 16 17 18 19 20 16 17 18 19 20+
≤ 50
50-65
65-79
80-89
90+
Sum

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