Primary school child dropout, interschool movements and progression in Uganda

Abstract

Despite the progress in access to primary education in Uganda, the goal of Universal Primary Education is yet to be met. This study uses the Uganda National Panel Survey (UNPS) for 2005/06 and 2009/10 to assess the determinants of primary school child dropout; Interschool movements; and school child progression in Uganda. The study deploys the Heckprobit model to estimate the factors that explain dropout and interschool movements while the Poisson, and Negative Binomial was used to estimate the factors that influence school-child progression. The study reveals that the age of the child and walking distance promote school-child dropout. We also find that children with educated parents have a higher likelihood of moving from public to private schools. Boys were found to be more likely to move from public to private schools than girls. The study also found that school-child progression is positively influenced by the income status of the household, education level of the father, and access to electricity. To reduce the chances of school dropout, encourage interschool movement and progression, government should promote adult education of parents. Government should also mount campaigns for children to begin school at the right age, construct more schools to reduce walking distance to school to reduce child dropout. Investment in income generating schemes for poor households, electrification of public schools and encouraging interschool movement from public to private schools will not only contribute to child progression but also to the achievement of the Universal Primary Education.