An investigation into the causes of teenagers school attendance failure in hopley slum, Harare, Zimbabwe

Failure of teenagers in school attendance should be a cause of concern for parents. Teenagers living in Hopley slums are not attending school due to poverty and lack of school fees. Some Parents for the teenagers are not affording paying schools fees for their children because they are not employed. The data collected from Focus Group discussions and observations made showed that instead of attending school, teenagers are engaged into forms of entertainment such as prostitution, drinking alcohol, dancing, gambling, vending and collecting water bottles. In an attempt to mitigate the teenagers’ plight, food hampers and clothes were distributed. A pictorial aid and graduation program was organized for teenagers. After the graduation program, teenagers desist entertainment and developed an interest for school attendance. 13 teenagers out of 35 (not attending school) participated in the pictorial aid and managed to graduate. After graduation, they were immediately enrolled into school. This article is an investigation for the causes of slums with an attempt to examine the lack of education for children living in Hopley slums which is located in Harare. A strategy program for assisting teenagers for a free school enrollment was developed and implemented with an intervention. If teenagers are assisted and enrolled into school, there is a probability that they will desist from the vice and pursue education.