INFLUENCE OF CULTURAL PRACTICE ON ATTENDANCE IN SCHOOLS IN BUTALEJA DISTRICT, WITH SPECIFIC REFERENCE TO NAMALA SUB-COUNTY.
INTRODUCTION
- Introduction
A critical factor facing Uganda is that as much as resources have been devoted to education , the envisaged attendance has not been achieved, (ESSP-2002-2015). This study will therefore investigate into influence of cultural practice on attendance in schools of pupils in Butaleja district, with specific reference to Namala sub-county. This chapter covers the background of the study, purpose of the study, research questions, and scope of the study, significance of the study and definition of terms.
1.1 Historical Background
According to Ssekamwa (1995), formal education was introduced in East Africa by the colonialists mainly to enable Africans to read and write and interpret their religious literature and majority were employed as their agents as clerical staff in the colonial government with non scientific bearing. In Uganda these were managed and administered by different religious groups up to independence. The government of Uganda took over the schools and centralized them.
The issue of pupils’ performance at schools has been of concern ever since modern education was introduced. Many countries have come to realize that pupils are the heart of educational process and that without proper daily attendance of schools by the pupils in schools; all innovations in education are doomed to failure. There is a wide dissatisfaction with the current situation of schooling in many countries and parents come in for the share of the blame. This is because majority of parents involve their children in some cultural practices like circumcision and early marriage ceremonies which takes away pupils time and makes them have little time to concentrate, therefore, affecting their attendance in schools.
The Uganda Primary School Curriculum (1999) clearly spells out what Primary Education is. It also spells out the broad aims and objectives of Primary Education. The Curriculum in both Volume One and Volume Two was designed to address the National Aim of Education as specifically stated in the Government White Paper on the Education Policy Review Commission Report (1992). Therefore, all school efforts should be aimed at high quality pupils’ learning. Parents as active stakeholders in schools should ensure that they are cooperative, participate fully in school activities, provide children with essential needs, check pupils’ work, encourage and enforce good behavior among pupils and to consult with school authorities to foster good performance of their children.
Organizational theorists have long reported that paying attention to culture is the most important action that a leader can perform. Educational theorists have likewise reported that the school administrators should concentrate on ensuring that the school has got enough facilities and enough quality teachers to ensure that students are able to receive good academic training to enable the different schools be in position to provide quality education to the teachers, (Hallingser and Heck 1998).
If the culture is not hospital the attendance of children is most likely to suffer , this is because the culture of the community has a direct effect on the children it determine the times they have to spend at school and how long they stay at school, Watson (2001).
Fink and Resnick (2001) reminded us that school principals are responsible for establishing a pervasive culture of teaching and learning in each school to enhance quality of teaching and learning in schools.
Nomura (1999), advised that school principals’ understand their school’s culture. Reavis et al. (1999) explored how a new school principal at a historically low performing high school brought about changes in the school culture and how it positively affected student achievement. Kytle and Bogotch (2000) examined school reform efforts through a ‘reculturing’, rather than a ‘restructuring’, model. They found that real and sustained change is more readily achieved by first changing the culture of the school, rather than by simply changing the structures of the way the school operates and functions.
School principals who choose to lead rather than just manage must first understand the school’s culture. It is important to realize that culture is complex because it has very unique and idiosyncratic ways of working. When an organization has a clear understanding of its purpose, why it exists and what it must do and who it should serve the culture will ensure that things work well. When the complex patterns of beliefs, values, attitudes, expectations, ideas and behaviours in an organization are inappropriate or incongruent the culture will ensure that things work badly.
Despite the undisputable role of education as a prerequisite for development, the Education for All Global Monitoring Report (2010) pointed out that 72 million children were not enrolled in schools. In cases where they get enrolled, there is yet a challenge of low pupil poor attendance in schools. Enrolment and low attendance of children in schools has remained a global challenge particularly for pupils in primary schools. One of the groups affected by the problem of low enrolment and retention in school are most pupils in African continent (Carr-Hill, 2005). In Uganda the people of Butaleja practice farming which particularly affects school age going children. Some of these practices affects children from regular school, (Chronic Poverty Research Centre, 2008).
Levinson and Ember (1996) point out that while biologists usually speak of organic evolution, they argue that societies have at times reversed the course and regressed from a more complex to a simpler level. The argument gives hope to African communities which after years of blindly aping the Whiteman’s culture discover it is discordant with his aspirations and way of life.
The notion of ‘Education quality’ gives way to the wider array of concepts; African traditional education gave priority to both social and psychomotor dimensions. The western concept or education gives priority to cognitive understanding and development. Today, we recognize that the social and other dimensions of learning are important. Chang’ach (2012) points out that while most people understand intuitively what they mean by ‘quality of education; there may not be a common understanding of the term. Chang’ach (2012) argues that this is especially true, at the beginning of the 21st century when education is increasingly understood to be more than ‘writing arithmetic’. He asserts that there is a growing consciousness on the importance of aspects such as relevance, universal values, peace and security and informed decision making.
Culture is generally defined as a set of shared attitudes, values, goals, and practices that characterize an institution, organization or group (Hofstede, G. 2001; Matsumoto, D. 1996).
These various cultural aspects will determine who may access education or not. Studies by Admassie (2003) and Boyle et al (2002); for instance, indicate the preference many households have for the education of boys over girls. In some cultures girls are left to take on domestic responsibilities, and boys often receive preference when parents have to choose who in gender terms enrols and attends school. Still, in many African cultures, division of labour is by gender and age, and femininity is associated with passivity and dependence whereby girls are raised to believe that they should not aspire for great heights since their work is primarily around the kitchen. This belief puts girls at a disadvantage and sometimes they are primarily seen as objects for bride price. Pool (2002), for instance, points out the link between the monetary value of bride price and early marriages in Africa.
Educators, parents, and politicians are continuously searching for that magic solution that will reform our public education system and establish a flawless system of education for our youth, by providing them with a quality education (Edwards, 2002). “The success of the school in carrying out its primary charge of educating and socializing students is contingent on students attending school regularly” (Smith, 1998, p.1).
Absenteeism is an indicator of anxiety, depression, and risky behaviors (Chou, Ho, Chen & Chen, 2006). Poor school attendance may also lead to academic problems and school dropout, juvenile delinquency, and poor marital and familial attachments later in life (Loeber & Farrington, 2000). Predictors of excessive absenteeism include family, school, peer, and individual factors (Fallis & Opotow, 2003). Missing school to pursue positive tangible rewards was associated with conduct disorder and oppositional defiant disorder (Kearney & Albano, 2004).
Student non-attendance is a problem that extends beyond the school. It affects the student, their families, and the community (DeKalb, 1999; U. S. Department of Education, 2001).
Today, regular school attendance is an important factor in school success (Rothman, 2001). Research has shown a direct correlation between good attendance and student achievement (Dekalb, 1999). Poor attendance has been linked to poor academic achievement (Ziegler, 1972).
1.1.2 Theoretical Perspective
Theoretically, according to Maicibi (2005), a good environment should be provided by the home if our children in school must learn, if the school administration must be successful and if the school must develop. Maani (1990) observes that pupils’ success at schools is closely related to their home backgrounds, which includes the culture at home and the parents’ attitude towards their cultural aspects. These include; level of education of parents, family income, parents’ marital status, and attitudes of parents towards education of their children and the children’s attitudes and the quality of learners admitted in school.
According to Skinner (1945) “Learning Theory” achievement vary among individuals due to several reasons. Level of performance and aspirations of pupils depend on factors linked to the level of education of parents, family income and marital status of parents which all relate to the cultural aspects of the society. The theory further emphasizes the importance of motivation, involvement in learning by learners and involvement of parents in supporting their children’s education. According to Obanya and Ezewu (1988), the higher the status of a family, the more likely it motivates its children to learn and attend school. Skinner (1945) advised that for proper learning to take place, learning experience should be guided and appropriately be controlled. This means, the culture of the community or the circumstances under which learning occurs should be supportive and conducive enough for effective learning and achievement.
The study will also be based on the systems theory and the motivation theory. the system theory propounded by Bertalanffy (1920) advanced that human body is made up of organs such as the heart, liver, alimentary canal and other parts that must be considered as a whole if the body if to function efficiently, this theory will be to this study because it is believed that the different factors in a school setting such as students, community cultural beliefs and the leadership of the school interact to influence motivate the students to attend school
Therefore when viewed as a system the variables of academic performance and their inter relationship with one another will be equated to a system.
According to Ajewole and Okebukola (2000), a number of factors are said to have contributed to the students’ poor academic achievement in school. The authors stress that a host of these factors may surround pupils poor school attendance in school which may include: poor study habits and lack of available resource materials, poor school climate, indiscipline, inadequate facilities, teachers’ ineffectiveness, the teaching method and the type of cultural beliefs of the pupils family.
1.1.3 Conceptual Perspective
Attendance is defined as participation in a programme of educational activities arranged and agreed by the school. In addition to actual attendance within the school premises, this encompasses a range of other activities within the category of attendance (out of school but marked present). Rockoff, (2007)
Oxford advanced learners dictionary defines culture as the customs and beliefs, art, way of life and social organization of a particular country or group. Cultural practices therefore need to be moderated to reflect the dynamism of our society today and embrace change as an inevitable reality.
Culture is everything. Culture is the way we dress, the way we carry our heads, the way we walk,
the way we tie our ties, it is not only the fact of writing books or building houses, Aimé Césaire (1913)
The quality of the grade and the number of candidates who pass in various grades determine the level of academic performance in a given class or institution in a given period in a particular examination, be it internal or public (Ferguson, 1990).
Supporting regular attendance at school is a priority because of its impact on teaching and learning and on levels of attainment. There are well proven links between regular attendance at school and levels of individual pupil attainment.
The current Ugandan education structure has been in place since 1963 and came as a result of recommendation made by the Castle Commission. The country’s formal education system starts with seven years of primary school (ages 6-12), which is ‘supposedly’ compulsory and free according to the current universal primary education program me. It is followed by six years of primary education for ages 13-18, which is also free and compulsory, though the last two for S.5 and 6, Government is under way to make it universal. This level is succeeded by three to five years of university or tertiary education depending on the profession selected by the individual (Kakuru, 2003).
Ezewund (1998) argues that the training experience of teachers enables them to prepare adequately their lessons and to explain the subject contents in a more understandable manner to their students and enhances their positive attitude towards studies and motivates academic performance , stresses that students confidence in their teachers , coupled with hard work enables them perform better.
1.1.4 Contextual Perspective
Butaleja district consists of various tribes who include the Banyole who form the largest population with a big representation of Bagwere, Bagisu, Basoga, Japadolah, Itesot, Baganda, Samia and many others. Most of these people might have migrated because of trade these has made Butaleja district a multicultural district with a big population and which has also increased on the primary enrolment which is 67,839 reflecting a 3% increase in the number of pupils enrolled between 2008 and 2009, the number of primary school teachers also increased by 120 between 2008 and 2009 and the pupil to teacher ratio reduced from 1:76 in 2008 to 1:61 in 2009, (Butaleja District Local Government Statistical Abstract 2008/2009), despite this improvement in enrollment performance of pupils in academics has not Improved as expected since according to the UNEB results in 2015 the performance of pupils in 2015 PLE results was one of the poorest in the country the Butaleja district got less than 10 girls who passed in first grade , this poor performance has worried the educationist as to what could be the cause.
50 percent of the children who enroll for the Universal Primary Education program in Butaleja district drop out of school and more than half the percentage have irregular school attendance, Findings of the parliamentary Social Service Committee indicate of the school irregular attendance are rate highest amongst boys, who are forced to work on rice fields to scare away birds. James Kubeketerya, the chairperson of the Parliamentary Social Services committee says more girls are attending school regularly in Butaleja district compared to the boys. He says that most schools in Butaleja district are yet to record any first grades, mainly due to poor attendance of students in schools. Kubeketerya who led his team on a tour of Butaleja has appealed to the district leadership to arrest parents who force their children out of school to work on rice fields and those who absent the pupils.
The results on Butaleja further indicates that as of 2015 UNEB results in PLE, less than 11 pupils scored first grade in Butaleja district, this poor performance is due to the fact that the students in the district donot attend class regularly.
The circumcision practice in Butaleja district by Bagisu involves religious indoctrination of the society’s core values which form basic doctrines in which every adult in the society is expected to be knowledgeable about. Kipkorir and Welbourne (1973) acknowledge that no event in life is of equal importance. Apart from physical changes, circumcision has profound psychosocial effect on the initiates which work to change their focus, preferences and ultimately aspirations of higher education. Once circumcised, the bagisu youth assume new social roles and responsibilities. Psychologically, he is expected to exhibit behavior ascribed to adult code of conduct. His environment is altered as he is not expected to mix freely with uncircumcised and should respond to women in specific ways. Our schools have all the above players and calls for unbiased co-operation for success.
1.2 Statement of the problem
Butaleja district consists of various tribes who include the Banyole who form the largest population with a big representation of Bagwere, Bagisu, Basoga, Japadolah, Itesot, Baganda, Samia and many others,, however most of these tribes have different cultural practices , since Butaleja is a rural district most of these tribes practice their cultures like male circumcision, rice farming and pastoralism , however all the tribes in Butaleja district are rice farmers in which they use labour from young children of school going age, (Butaleja District Local Government Statistical Abstract 2008/2009), However according to Butaleja district report during the circumcision period of the Bagisu people most of the children are forced to get involved in to the circumscision practices and stop attending classes temporarily and to attend circumcision , while the young girls in Bugisu side of Butaleja are married off to the newly circumcised young boys , this could possibly have an effect on the academic cycle and attendance of pupils to schools in Butaleja district, however there has not been substantial research on the effects of such practices on school attendance of pupils, this study therefore intends to investigate into the influence of cultural practice on school attendance of pupils in Butaleja district, with specific reference to Namala sub-county.
1.3 Purpose of the study
The purpose of the study is to investigate into the influence of cultural practice on school attendance of pupils in Butaleja district, with specific reference to Namala sub-county.
1.4 Specific objectives
The study will be guided by the following objectives.
- To examine the influence of circumcision on school attendance.
- To investigate how early marriage influence school attendance in Butaleja district.
- To examine the relationship between student factors and school attendance.
1.5 Research Questions
- What is the influence of circumcision on school attendance?
- What is the influence of early marriage on school attendance in Butaleja district?
- What is the relationship between student factors and school attendance?
1.6 Hypotheses
- Circumcisions do not influence school attendance.
- Early marriages do not influence school attendance in Butaleja district?
- There is no relationship between student factors and school attendance?
1.7 Conceptual Frame Work
Independent Variable
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Dependent variable
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Intervening variables
Source: adapted from Katz & Kan and modified by the researcher.
According to the conceptual frame work the factors that influence school attendance includes; Circumcision, this may be male, female or forceful circumcision, this because circumcision being a culture of the Bagisu people in Butaleja affects is carried out among the school going children affecting young children in terms of attendance at school, while early marriage also has a an influence on the attendance of pupils in schools. The findings further indicates that Early marriage of pupils also has an influence on their attendance in schools in terms of early pregnancy , dropping out of school and early responsibilities given to mothers while student factors like family background and surroundings of the school also attendance in schools.
- Significance of The Study
The study will enable future organizations discover the influence of circumcision on attendance in schools.
The study will also enable the government in ensuring that they have information regarding the influence of early marriage on attendance in Butaleja district.
The findings of the study will be of benefit to NGOs in providing information regarding the relationship between student factors and attendance in schools.
- Scope Of The Study
The study will focus on the influence of circumcision on academic performance, the influence of early marriage on attendance in schools in Butaleja district and the relationship between student factors and attendance in schools.
The study will be carried out in Butaleja district, but specifically in Namale sub-county, covering the schools of
The study period will be carried out from September 2016 to October 2017.
- Operational definition of key terms
Universal primary education, This is a government project being implemented by majority government aided primary schools that allows pupils in schools to get education without paying tuition.
Culture
Sociologists define society as the people who interact in such a way as to share a common culture. The cultural bond may be ethnic or racial, based on gender, or due to shared beliefs, values, and activities.
