Drivers of drop out among learners with disabilities in Gulu high school, in Gulu city in Northern Uganda

Abstract

The study examined the drivers of dropout among secondary school learners with disabilities in Gulu High School, in Gulu City. The study focused specifically on economic drivers, sociocultural drivers, structural drivers and magnitude of dropout among learners with disabilities. The study adopted qualitative research approach. An in-depth interview was conducted with 15 learners with disabilities and 10 key informants. The study found that the main economic drivers of dropout among learners with disabilities were; inability of their parents to afford fees and school requirements, parents had low income and they were very poor to afford school related cost. The main socio-cultural drivers of dropout among learners with disabilities were; poor motivated to send and sustain disabled children to the schools believed that learners with disabilities were unable to succeed academically, there was also low social acceptance of the person with disabilities in the community due to negative perceptions and attitudes towards them. The main structural drivers of dropout among learners with special needs were; hard mobility within the school environment; the education curriculum did not favour them. In general, the magnitudes of dropout among learners with disabilities are high. The study recommends that Government should support schools with children with disabilities by providing them with learning equipment such as the brail and brail papers, rams and trained teachers on sign language to aids their education and explaining to them the danger of school dropout. This can help retain those who enroll in school and reduce the dropout rate.