Journal of Emerging Trends in Educational Research and Policy Studies: Home

Abstract:
A huge body of research evidence indicates that community engagement is a critical factor that influences the success of individual students and the school environment itself. Undoubtedly, girls in marginalised areas are systematically denied access to education. This paper explored communities support for marginalised girls to access, remain in school and learn as an empowerment tool in Kilifi County, Kenya. Kilifi is one of the poorest counties in Kenya with very high illiteracy levels especially for girls and women. Phenomenological research design was used. The study was predominantly qualitative with a sample of 33 adults and30 children (24 girls;6 boys). Data was collected through interviews, focus group discussions, informal discussions and community mapping. Data analysis entailed preliminary analysis during field work and post-field guided by analytical questions. The finding indicated lack of communities� concerted effort towards girls� education; the wealth and resources are still largely controlled by men who rarely used it to educate girls; the Community Conversation (CC) strategy had not been able to marshal the community to mobilise community resources to support girls� education; resources such as selling local liquor and farming, are a deterrent to girls education. The paper recommends among other things that local communities should be sensitised to mobilise local resources such as sand, limestone and bricks to support girls� education; there should be dialogue targeting boys and men so that they support girls� education and the local administration should enforce laws banning funeral discos and use of girls in selling local liquor.

Keywords: Access, Learn, Marginalised, Resources, Empowerment And Community Conversation Strategy

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