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A theoretical and empirical study of factors affecting girls' education in Syria, with special reference to five villages

Abstract

Syria, a newly independent country, has emerged from long colonial domination to find itself confronted with a considerable number of social, economic and educational problems. Amongst these is the poor school attendance of girls, a problem which this study proposes to investigate by examining the factors which have contributed to the failure of many Syrian girls, especially rural ones, to gain educational opportunity on a par with their male counterparts.
This study has tested the major problems affecting the access of girls to school, their staying-on rate and their scholastic achievements, in the country as a whole and most particularly in five Syrian villages.
The thesis has been organised in two parts i.e. one theoretical and another empirical.
'Ihe theoretical part of the study in chapters 1, 2 and 3, examines; current education policies in a historical context; the structure organization and efficiences of the present system; recent socio-economical and cultural development and the changing role of women.
The empirical section comprises two chapters.
Chapter 4 details methodolgy and research procedures related to sampling, research instruments and data collection.
In chapter 5 the data are analysed and the findings presented. The girls' school attendance, or lack of it, in five villages is examined in relation to the following: the geographical, economical and social environment of the five villages; the parents economic and social backgrounds; the parents' attitudes towards girls' education; the parents' opinions about problems inherent in the present education system and other more personal problems. In addition, the girls' own responses on the same factors were tested and compared with those of their parents.
Finally, in chapter 6 general conclusions are drawn and policy recommendations for the improvement of girls' education are made.


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