Impact of Female Teachers on Learning Outcomes of Girls in Rural Primary Schools in Malawi

Selemani-Meke Elizabeth

CICE叢書6 Africa-Asia University Dialogue for Educational Development : Final Report of Phase IV Research Results : Toward Achieving the SDG4 : Contributions of African and Asian Researchers

CICE Series

This paper reports on the findings of a study that was conducted in four rural education districts in Malawi: namely, Ntchisi, Neno, Machinga and Mzimba, where a certain local Non-Governmental Organization built houses specifically for female teachers so as to ensure availability of female teachers in the rural primary schools. The study therefore intended to assess the impact of the female teachers on retention and performance of girls in the schools and targeted a total of twenty intervention primary schools and six non-intervention primary schools. The study further assessed whether the availability of female teachers in schools helps to reduce cases of violence against girls. The study used a mixed method research design and collected both quantitative and qualitative data that gave useful information about the impact of the female teachers in the schools.
Both the quantitative and qualitative findings of the study affirmed that the availability of female teachers in rural schools helps to improve retention and performance of girls in the schools. The study further revealed that cases of violence against girls are also reduced when female teachers are available at the schools. Indicators of retention such as enrolment, dropout and attendance, all skewed towards the positive side in the intervention schools when compared to nonintervention schools. Similarly, performance of girls was better in intervention schools than nonintervention schools. The study concluded that female teachers make a difference for the girls in rural schools in as far as achievement of learning outcomes is concerned. As such the government and stakeholders in education should ensure availability of female teachers in schools. Initiatives that can help retain the female teachers in the rural schools need to be explored, implemented and supported.

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