Edona Begu

Abstract

The aim of this project is to find out whether there is a gender difference in students school retention or in the dropout rates in Kosovo, because there is a prevailing perception that the female students dropout more, or that the female school retention is lower compared to male. Moreover, many international organizations and nongovernmental institutions such as GIZ, WB, UNICEF and UNDP have been and are currently involved in treating the problem of female school dropout and gender disparities in education,1 Therefore, strengthening even more the widespread belief that there are gender differences in education in Kosovo, more exactly that the female school dropout is higher than the male school dropout. Moreover, the gender education issues, such as female school dropout, are recognized, incorporated and addressed by governmental institutions such as the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology in their education strategies,2 which again reinforces the belief that there are gender differences in school retention or that the female school dropout is greater among female students than male students. This project is of high importance because according to the last censuses, female make up almost 50% of Kosovo’s population, which means they represent half of the population.3 Hence, by failing to educate half of the population, Kosovo is failing to use efficiently half of its human capacity. Moreover, many studies show that female’s education is related closely with economic and social development,4 which Kosovo in reality needs. According to these studies, it is crucial, especially for developing countries such as Kosovo, to educate females because it will increase female participation and productivity in the labour market. Consequently, the increase on productivity will be accompanied with an increase in

economic growth and hence a decrease in poverty.5 Moreover, the right to education is a universal right, for all the people regardless the gender difference, which is foreseen by many international laws. Furthermore, the global community has set as Millennium Development Goal the achievement of “universal primary education”- for boys and girls alike. 6 Hence, since Kosovo is determined to be part of the international institutions, it should be proving its commitment by guaranteeing and protecting the rights that are guaranteed and respected by the international community. Therefore, since the female school dropout is still a prevalent issue than it is societies and governments responsibility to direct the policies and create the appropriate mechanisms that will ensure a reduction of female school dropout and, in general, reduction of disparities in gender differences in education. Given the above mentioned reasons regarding the importance of female education, more specifically, the female school retention, in this project will be elaborated: the literature review, the research question, the hypothesis, the data - analytical approach, the results, the conclusions and the recommendations.

Publication Date

7-7-2014

Document Type

Senior Project

Student Type

Undergraduate

Advisor

Shpend Ahmeti

Advisor/Committee Member

Michael Waschak

Advisor/Committee Member

Mentor Nimani

Comments

AUK Honors Society

Campus

American University in Kosovo

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