Understanding the causes of school drop-out in Malawi

教育是个人和国家摆脱贫困的主要途径。马拉维是世界上最贫穷的10个国家之一，最初入学率很高，但到6年级结束时，一半儿童辍学，只有三分之一完成8年小学教育。女孩在青春期辍学的比例高于男孩，而且往往发生在早孕和早婚之后。利用在马拉维北方进行的一项以人口为基础的大规模研究的数据（> 10，000名儿童），以及在马拉维南部进行的一项对> 2，500名青少年进行长期跟踪调查的研究，我们建议探讨辍学的途径及其原因。我们将解决的重要问题包括：女孩辍学是因为怀孕，还是因为对学校不满或不及格而怀孕？青少年自己的学校行为在多大程度上受到同龄人或兄弟姐妹的学校教育或性行为的影响？学校、家庭和社区的哪些属性减少了辍学？这项研究是学术研究人员与马拉维教育部工作人员在国家和地区一级的合作，使所吸取的经验教训能够影响教育政策和实践。

Education is a major route out of poverty for individuals and nations. In Malawi, one of the 10 poorest countries in the world, initial enrolment in school is high, but half the children drop out by the end of year 6, and only a third complete the 8 years of primary school. Drop-out in adolescence is higher in girls than in boys, and often follows early pregnancy and marriage. Using data from a large population-based study with annual surveys in northern Malawi (> 10,000 children), and a study that has followed >2500 adolescents over time in southern Malawi, we propose to explore the pathways to drop-out and their causes. Important questions that we will address include: Do girls drop out of school because they are pregnant, or do they get pregnant because they were already disaffected with or failing school? How far is an adolescent's own school behaviour influenced by the schooling or sexual behaviour of their peers or siblings?What attributes of the schools, of families and of the community reduce drop-out?This research is a collaboration between academic researchers and those working in the Ministry of Education in Malawi, at national and district levels, allowing lessons learnt to influence education policy and practice.