Parents’ level of income and students’ dropout in lower secondary schools in Kamwenge district. A cross-sectional study.
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.51168/vpkgrp02Keywords:
Parents’ income, Student dropout, Socioeconomic status, Secondary education, Kamwenge District, Academic performanceAbstract
Background:
The study aimed to examine the relationship between parents’ level of income and students’ dropout in lower secondary schools in Kamwenge district.
Methodology:
The study used a descriptive, correlational, cross-sectional survey design with a mixed-methods approach. A population of 526 respondents was considered, from which 220 were selected using simple random and purposive sampling. Data were collected using questionnaires, interviews, and document review from both primary and secondary sources. Analysis was done using SPSS with descriptive statistics and Pearson correlation. Validity (CVI=0.85) and reliability (Cronbach’s alpha=0.80) were ensured. Ethical standards included informed consent, confidentiality, and proper academic acknowledgment of sources.
Results:
The study recorded a response rate of 90.9% (200 out of 220 participants). 40% of the respondents were single, 58.5% were married, and 1.5% were separated. 22% of the parents were farmers, 15.9% are engaged in business and trade, and 7.3% of the parents are engaged in service provision, while 54.9% of the respondents were peasants. Findings on income showed financial constraints among parents, with low capacity to afford school fees, scholastic materials, and stable income (means mostly below 3). However, there was strong agreement (mean 4.3) that parents encourage enrollment in Universal Secondary Education. Student dropout indicators revealed high agreement on low academic performance (mean 4.8), behavioral problems (4.7), and lack of progress (4.6), while completion rates were perceived as very low (1.2). Irregular attendance and transfers were less agreed upon. A strong negative correlation existed between parents’ income and dropout (r = -0.693, p<0.05)
Conclusion:
Higher parental income is associated with lower student dropout rates.
Recommendation:
The government and education stakeholders should provide financial support and strengthen community assistance programs for financially disadvantaged students.
References
1. Adler, N. E., & Ostrove, J. M. (1999). Socioeconomic status and health: What we know and what we don't. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 896(1), 3-15. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1749-6632.1999.tb08101.xhttps://doi.org/10.1111/j.1749-6632.1973.tb41414.x https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1749-6632.1971.tb13084.x
2. Blanden, J. (2004). Education, inequality, and intergenerational mobility. London School of Economics.
https://doi.org/10.1515/9780691188652-009
3. Brinda, T., Puhlmann, H., & Schulte, C. (2009). Bridging ICT and computer science: Educational standards for computer science in lower secondary education. ACM Transactions on Computing Education, 9(3), 1-17.
https://doi.org/10.1145/1595496.1562965
4. Cooper, K., & Stewart, K. (2021). Does household income affect children's outcomes? A systematic review of the evidence. Child Indicators Research, 14(3), 981-1005. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12187-020-09782-0
5. Finnie, R., & Mueller, R. (2008). The effects of family income, parental education, and other background factors on access to post-secondary education in Canada. Journal of Higher Education Policy and Management, 30(2), 1-15. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2256114
6. Goshin, M., & Mertsalova, T. (2018). Types of parental involvement in education, socio-economic status of the family, and students' academic results. Educational Studies, 3, 68-90. https://doi.org/10.17323/1814-9545-2018-3-68-90
7. Guzman, G. (2022). Household income: 2021. U.S. Census Bureau.
8. Machebe, C. H., Ezegbe, B. N., & Onuoha, J. (2017). The impact of parental level of income on students' academic performance in high school. International Journal of Educational Research, 5(9), 1614-1620.
https://doi.org/10.13189/ujer.2017.050919
9. Mayer, S. E. (2002). The influence of parental income on children's outcomes. Ministry of Social Development.
10. Mugumya, D., Karooro, E., & Mwesigye, A. R. (2023). Family socioeconomic status, parents' level of education, and parental engagement in educational activities in Sheema District, Uganda. American Journal of Education Practice, 7(2), 48-61. https://doi.org/10.47672/ajep.1376
11. Onsomu, E. N., Kosimbei, G., & Ngware, M. W. (2006). Impact of gender and socio-economic factors on learning achievements in primary education in Kenya. Kenya Institute for Public Policy Research and Analysis.
12. Restad, F. (2021). Curriculum making for social learning: Exploring policy and practice in Norwegian lower secondary education (Doctoral dissertation).
13. Thomson, D. (1983). Income and educational attainment. Academic Press.
14. Bala, M. (2020). Socioeconomic status and educational attainment: A study of secondary school students. Journal of Education and Practice, 11(5), 45-52.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Alifa Ntebwamu, Dr. Muhammad Ssendagi (Author)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
SJ-Education publishes under the Attribution-Noncommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 international (CCBY-NC-ND 4.0) license which allows you to Share, Copy, and redistribute the materials in any medium or format. The licensor cannot revoke these freedoms as long as you follow the license terms; 1. Attribution: You must give appropriate credit, provide a link to the license, and indicate if changes were made. You may do so in any reasonable manner, but not in any way that suggests the licensor endorses you or your use. 2. Non-commercial: You may not use the material for commercial purposes. Commercial use is one primarily intended for commercial advantage or monetary compensation. 3. No Derivatives: if you remix, transform, or build upon the material, you may not distribute the modified material. 4. No additional restrictions: You may not apply legal terms or technological measures that legally restrict others from doing anything the license permits.
