Influence of female genital mutilation on schooling of Girl child in marginalized communities: A case of Masalani location, Garissa county

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to determine the influence of the practice of female genital mutilation on the schooling of girl child in marginalized communities with reference to Masalani location. The study sought to achieve the following specific objectives: To establish the extent to which health condition as a result of FGM influences the schooling of girl child; to establish the extent to which early marriages as a result of FGM influences the schooling of girl child; and to establish the extent to which attitude towards FGM influences the schooling of girl child in marginalized communities. The study adopted a descriptive survey research design and was guided by the General Systems Theory which states that each and every concept is a system (Gochmans, 1968). The study targeted health administrators, school administrators, parents and girls in secondary schools in the area of study. The study was carried out with a target population of 95. The researcher used stratified random sampling technique to select the respondents. From each stratum, 70 %(67) respondents were selected and used to gather the required information. Questionnaires and group discussions were used to obtain important information about the population. The data collected was analyzed using descriptive statistics including means, mode, standard deviation, frequencies and percentages. The study established that health condition influence female genital mutilation on school girl child in Masalani location to a great extent. The management of health condition from FGM in Masalani location was also wanting as it was found to be just average. Further, early marriage influence FGM on school girl child to a high extent. It was also found that attitudes influence FGM on school girl child in Masalani location. The study will provide relevant information to Marginalized communities that will help address the outstanding challenges of female genital mutilation on education among their school going children. The study will provide relevant information that will help the government to formulate and implement such policies that will support the continuity of implementation of war against female genital mutilation on education. Further, the scholars and researchers will use this study as a source of secondary data to review their literature.