Factors Hindering Maasai Girls Transition from Secondary to Higher Education: A Case of Monduli District in Arusha -Tanzania

Fides Zakayo
Chrispina Lekule
St. Augustine University of Tanzania
fidelispeter54@gmail.com/ chrispina.lekule@saut.ac.tz

Abstract: This study investigated factors hindering Maasai girl’s transition from secondary school to higher education. The study adopted a mixed research approach with a convergent parallel design. One hundred and thirty six respondents, selected through both purposive and simple random sampling approaches were involved. These included 21 Secondary school teachers, 102 students, 5 Maasai parents and 5 Maasai girls, who had completed their secondary education. Additionally, one District Secondary Education Officer (DSEO) and two Heads of schools were involved. Semi-structured interviews and open ended questionnaires were used for data collection. Cronbach Alpha Coefficient was used to ensure validity and reliability of research instruments. Qualitative data was analysed narratively while quantitative data was analysed descriptively using statistical Software Package for Social Science (SPSS) version 20. The findings indicate that there is a significant low transition of Maasai girls from secondary to higher education, which is mostly due to early and forced marriages, parental gender preference and Female Genital Mutilation (FGM). The study recommends and appeals to government leaders, educators and non-governmental organizations to strive further towards safeguarding and reinforcing Maasai girls’ rights to education at different levels by educating parents and Maasai elders on the importance of higher education to girls. Additionally, Maasai girls should also be encouraged and supported to pursue higher education as a means of empowering, nurturing and giving them more voice which they need in demanding for their rights and resisting the out-dated and oppressive cultural practices which hinder them from realizing their potentials and advancing economically.