School Enrolment Patterns in Rural Ghana: a comparative study of the impact of location, gender, age and health on childrens access to basic schooling

The aim of this article is to discuss the results from three censuses conducted on school age children in rural Ghana which reveal contemporary patterns in enrolment. The data provide a profile of [he school age population in basic education and contribute novel quantitative data on children out of school. The article examines the age at first enrolment, the gender disparities between classes, the classes where children drop out, and the proportion of children who never enrol in school. The stark contrast in enrolment between the disadvamaged north and the south of the country is also confirmed. Qualitative data from focus group discussions with parents, teachers and children highlight the major obstacles confronting education these include a diversity offactors such as child labour, health, location and gender. Suggestions of policy options needed to increase access and attainment lo schooling include reducing the over-age entry, increasing female access and participation, adapting culturally sensitive strategies, collecting better statistical data, improving the health of school age children and lessening the gap between the north and south of the country.