Abstract:
The main purpose of the study was to explore the effects of the re-entry policy on the academic performance and truancy behaviour of the girl child: a case of Seventh-day Adventist Secondary Schools (S.D.A.) in East Zimbabwe Conference (E.Z.C.). Qualitative research approach and the descriptive research design was adopted in this research. This research had a sample of 3 secondary schools with a total sample of 45 participants comprising of 3 Heads of Schools, 18 students (6 from each school), 18 parents/guardians, (6 from each school) and 6 teachers (2 from each school). The non-probability sampling method was used in this study. Purposive/judgemental sampling technique was adopted on class teachers. This was to trace performance of re-entry beneficiaries from their class teachers. Convenient sampling was used for Heads of Schools because once the researcher had picked a particular school, it made sense to also pick on Heads of such schools. Purposive sampling of re-entry girls and their parents/guardians was used in this study. Once the student was sampled, the parents/guardians of those students automatically became part of the sample. Individual interviews were used on the three sampled Heads and six sampled teachers of S.D.A. Schools and focus group interviews were used on students and parents/guardians of re-entry beneficiaries. The interview guides were tested for content or face validity by research experts at Solusi University to determine if they will measure what they intend to test. The data presented in this research, clearly show that the academic performance of re-entry policy beneficiaries in S.D.A. Secondary Schools in E.Z.C. is positive and that they are the most behaved, focused, and respectful in terms of behaviour. Recommendations of the research are that there should be vigorous public awareness to concertize people about the re-entry policy in Zimbabwe so that girls who dropped from school due to pregnancy may go back to school. The study advocates for heads of schools, teachers, parents/guardians and pupils not to abuse beneficiaries of the policy, but treat them as students. The government and other stakeholders should consider academic support of re-entry beneficiaries.
