Challenges of access to education in the developing world and elsewhere appear to be widespread. Many declarations and conventions have been developed to assist countries to respond to the issue. While challenges of access are universal, Africa in general and sub-Saharan Africa in particular are presented with additional concerns about gender equality and gender parity. While learner numbers seem to be on the decline globally, dropout amongst girls is disproportionately greater than amongst boys. Even though school retention presents a challenge at all levels of the schooling system, it is more acute for girls at the secondary school level. This study was conducted to examine and understand factors that shape retention of secondary school female learners in two rural public schools in Alimosho Region of Lagos State, Nigeria. The study design was qualitative and interpretive in nature. Data collection strategies included administered questionnaires in two schools, focus group discussion with twenty female learners in two schools, case studies, individual interviews with four participants from two schools, and observation in English and Biology classes where the two teachers from the two schools participated in the interviews. Ethical clearance from Alimosho Educational Region office and the two schools was obtained before undertaking the study. Participants’ school principals also signed written consent forms before interviews. The female learners were briefed about the study interview activities and advised that their participation was voluntary and that they were free to withdraw at any point. This study drew on Sen’s (1989, 2000) capabilities theory to understand the phenomenon beyond dominant discourses on education that view education as a basic human right or that focus on economic and development gains. The key finding of this study is that in-school and out- of- school factors interact in complex ways to support female learner retention. Key among these are value placed on education by female learners and significant others, particularly parents; family support; and individual aspirations. Extra-curricular participation, government policy, role models, and peer support were also found to be important factors that mediate progression and retention.

The aim of the thesis is to understand why European countries show a very different picture of female employment (in their fertile ages) which is not the case for men of the same age. We shed light on the various positions of countries in this framework of earner-carer models, in analysing policy designs, policy outcomes and policy determinants. That is, respectively, family policy indicators, employment of mothers and childless women, gender role attitudes and their interacting effect with policies and employment outcomes. We have used a wide range of primary or secondary quantitative and qualitative data to carry out our comparative analysis, mixing approaches, techniques and methods, from micro-econometric models to macro-level harmonised indicators, supplemented with a case study.<p>The dissertation is divided in three parts, each focusing on one question:<p>(i)\ / Doctorat en sciences de gestion / info:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublished

South African history clearly illuminates the idea that women are regarded as unequal when compared to their male counterparts. Hence, women in general have been marginalized, especially when it comes to advancing in the workplace. Women are often defined in relation to motherhood, caring for others and for providing the necessities for sustenance. Society today has not moved very far from this idea. This is the reason why women often suffer a disadvantage when it comes to being appointed in leadership positions in South African education, even though the legislation makes provision for gender balance in South African education. This study examined the role of female principals as transformational leaders to improve schools in the uMgungundlovu District, KwaZulu-Natal. A qualitative investigation at three schools in the uMgungundlovu District was conducted. Nine participants were selected and data was collected by means of in-depth interviews and document analysis was done as a method of data collection. The findings of the study revealed that female leaders are taking a stand in education and are successfully implementing strategies to improve their schools. The study recommends that future female leaders are empowered at the beginning of their careers and they should learn skills that empower them so there are no excuses for being side lined when it comes to leadership positions. / Nalane ea Afrika Boroa e hlakisa mohopolo oa hore basali ba nkoe ba sa lekane ha ba bapisoa le balekane ba bona ba banna. Kahoo, basali ka kakaretso ba bile e behelletsoe ka thoko, haholo-holo ha ho tluoa khatelo-peleng ea mosebetsi. Basali hangata e hlalositsoeng kamanong le bo-mme, ho tsotella ba bang le ho fana ka litlhoko tsa Lintho tsa ho iphelisa. Mokhatlo kajeno ha o falle hole le mohopolo ona. Lena ke lona lebaka basali hangata ba le mathata ha ho tluoa ho khethoa boeta-pele maemo mo thutong ya Aforika Borwa, leha molao o fana ka sebaka sa tekano ea bong lithutong tsa Afrika Boroa Thutong ena ho ile ha hlahlojoa karolo ea basali lihlooho tsa boetapele ba phetoho ho ntlafatsa likolo setereke sa Umgungundlovu, KwaZulu-Natal. Patlisiso e nang le bokhoni likolong tse tharo Seterekeng sa Umgungundlovu e ne e tsamaisoa. Lintlha li ile tsa bokelloa ka lipuisano tse tebileng le sampole ea barupeluoa ba robong le tlhahlobo ea litokomane e entsoe e le mokhoa oa ho bokella data. The liphumano tsa boithuto li senotse hore baetapele ba basali ba nka karolo lithutong mme ba sebelisa ka katleho maano a ho ntlafatsa likolo tsa bona. Boithuto bo khothalletsa hore baetapele ba basali ba kamoso ba matlafatsoa qalong ea mesebetsi ea bona le bona ba lokela ho ithuta malebela a ba matlafatsang kahoo ha ho na mabaka a hore ba beheletsoe ka thoko ha e tla maemong a boetapele. / Umlando waseNingizimu Afrika ukhanyisa kahle umbono wokuthi abesifazane babhekwa njengabalingani uma kuqhathaniswa nabalingani babo besilisa. Ngakho-ke, abesifazane bebonke bebelokhu ebekelwe eceleni, ikakhulukazi uma kukhulunywa ngentuthuko emsebenzini. Abesifazane bavame kuchazwa maqondana nokuba ngumama, ukunakekela abanye nokuhlinzeka ngezidingo zeukondla. Umphakathi namhlanje awusususanga kude kakhulu kulo mbono. Lesi isizathu sokuthi kungani abesifazane bavame ukuhlupheka lapho kukhulunywa ngokuqokwa ebuholini izikhundla emfundweni yaseNingizimu Afrika, yize umthetho ubeka umthetho ukulingana ngokobulili emfundweni yaseNingizimu Afrika Lolu cwaningo luhlolisise iqhaza lowesifazane othishanhloko njengabaholi bezinguquko ukwenza ngcono izikole esifundeni saseMgungundlovu, KwaZulu-Natali. Uphenyo olufanele ezikoleni ezintathu ezifunda eMgungundlovu District yaqhutshwa. Idatha iqoqwe ngokusebenzisa izingxoxo ezijulile ngesampula ye ababambiqhaza abayisishiyagalolunye kanye nokuhlaziywa kwedokhumenti kwenziwa njengendlela yokuqoqa idatha. The Imiphumela yocwaningo iveze ukuthi abaholi besifazane bayabamba iqhaza kwezemfundo ukusebenzisa amasu ngempumelelo ukwenza ngcono izikole zabo. Ucwaningo luyancoma ukuthi abaholi besifazane besikhathi esizayo banikezwa amandla ekuqaleni kwemisebenzi yabo futhi bona kumele afunde amakhono awanikayo amandla ngakho-ke akunazaba zokufakwa kolayini lapho iza ezikhundleni zobuholi. / Educational Management and Leadership / M. Ed. (Education Management)