Participatory research with adolescents to unpack how decisions are made whether to stay in school in Zambia

Commissioned by UNICEF Zambia, Samuel Hall conducted a highly qualitative study on ‘how decisions are made on whether or not adolescents (age 10-19) complete their schooling in Zambia’. With fieldwork in eight districts across the country – namely, Lusaka, Rufunsa, Katete, Petauke, Luwingu, Lunga, Mufulira, and Senanga – the study provides an understanding of the decision-making process around school retention/drop-out. It also investigates the interplay between diverse factors and actors, and identifies the key components influencing schooling decisions. The research culminated in rigorous analysis of decisions-making processes and individual journeys of school drop-out/retention in Zambia as well as recommendations to enable implementing actors to develop youth-supportive and evidence-based (education) interventions in the future.