Abstract:
The study aimed at examining Parents Attitude Toward girls` access to secondary
education in Tabora especially in Ngulu, Mkolye and Kisanga secondary schools in
Sikonge District, Tabora region. Specifically, the study aimed at finding factors
affecting parents‟ attitudes on girls` access to secondary education, assessing the
effect of spatial distribution of schools on girls access to secondary education and
checking the Attitude of Parents on how it affect girls in gaining secondary education
in three selected secondary schools in Tabora. The case study research design was
used in this research. In data collection interview method and questionnaire was
supplied to respondents inorder to get some information. Finally, the analysis was
done based on objectives of the study. Descriptive statistics such as mean, mode,
median and standard deviation were used to analyze respondent‟s responses.
During the research, it was observed that Parent‟s Attitudes on girls‟ access to
secondary education have been affected by early marriage, pregnancies and cultural
norms. Also, the religious dimensions were observed to be among the factors which
affect girl‟s access to education. Also parents have negative attitude towards girls‟
access to education. On the side of effect of spatial distribution of schools on girl‟s
access to education, data indicated that school distance to and from home affect
children‟s enrollment, presence, retention and their performance. Furthermore on the
situation of effect of parents‟ attitude towards girls‟ access to education, data shows
that boys are always favored than girls.
The study recommends that, the government should be responsible for developing
programme which will facilitate to change parents‟ attitude on girls education
especially in rural areas. Parents and the Government should fight against bad
cultural norms and practices which hinder girl to have education. New secondary
school should be made attractive and more accessible to low income parents. The
teaching curriculum should also be widened to articulate skills oriented subjects in
which later it will assist children to be productive in their societies as a result assist
their parents. Schools should be distributed evenly to the whole areas so as to
facilitate accessibility and availability to all girls in the country. The school
environment should also be conducive for girls to be attracted especially on the
provision of water. Government should establish a programme of building
dormitories to all available schools especially for girls and all students who are far
from school as this would make attraction.
