Análisis entre Poblaciones

The findings indicated that the research participants knew and understood the benefits of enrolling female children at primary school. It can be seen that they all perceived that, as a result of schooling, their daughters made gains in literacy and numeracy, could explore a new culture, and achieve competence in using the Lao language, and others of learning. The children were also said to have a lot of fun and joined in on many of the school’s activities. The study confirmed that a primary school education level is very

significant in terms of providing basic learning tools, knowledge and skills that are considered important for children, family and community. The benefits for enrolling female Hmong children at primary school in the Lao context were supported by some of the existing literature, while other findings were new and so built on that literature.

The findings from the study indicated that the participants answered the research questions and a summary for each question is provided as follows:

6.1.1 What benefits do the parents and teachers of Hmong girls who are enrolled at primary school perceive for their daughters?

The results of the study showed that all participants perceived benefits of registering their daughters at primary school. In this field, attending the primary school made the young girls gain in literacy because this level of education trained students in the basic skills of how to read and write. In addition, the Hmong girls were also seen as having improved their numeracy knowledge. They learnt how to count the numbers, calculate in maths from the basic to the more advanced level. This knowledge and these skills are understood to become very useful tools for them.

Furthermore, it was evident to participants that at school Hmong girls were promoted to share Lao and Hmong cultures together because they learnt to work in groups and they took part in the school’s activities. Hmong girls felt happy that they could speak Lao, meanwhile they could speak their own language orally. They also liked to wear their Hmong dress with Lao clothing and they looked very presentable in such outfits.

The participants claimed that educated Hmong girls knew how to take care of themselves and the other people were around them. They looked clean and tidy in their school uniforms which they often cleaned themselves after they wore them each day. Hmong girls are perceived as having more opportunities to work if they are educated and they would be able to contribute to developing their families and communities. People with education can increase productivity, generate income and reduce poverty because they are able to work in the office or private companies to earn money.

6.1.2 What difficulties have these parents confronted in keeping their daughters enrolled in primary school?

The study indicated that overall there were more positive impacts than negative impacts for enrolling the girls at primary school. Participants spoke of one of the major difficulties that emerged when some parents enrolled their daughters at primary school - the expense of the school’s registration fee. The family’s financial situation, especially if it was one or poverty could cause severe problems for families that had to enrol many children in school each semester. This was the case because the parents might have to use a large sum of the family money to buy learning equipment such as stationery, and pay for new uniforms, the registration fee or even a bicycle for children to ride to school.

Furthermore, the findings revealed that most of the Hmong girls who studied at first and second grades had problems with the learning of a second language, Lao; - they could not read properly and speak clearly in this language. Hmong have their own Hmong language which is used orally to interact among Hmong people so at home these girls speak only Hmong with their parents. Another related concerning finding from the study showed that all learning material was written in the Lao language.

6.1.3 What do these parents think other Hmong parents with daughters in general might do to address educational participation when their children are enrolled in primary education in the future?

The findings also showed that in order to make learning more relevant to the Hmong girls and to help them study more easily at primary school in this location, there should be more quality Hmong teachers to teach, especially in both grades one and two. The actual problems that surfaced for Hmong girls in these grades were that they could not speak Lao at all because they spoke only Hmong with their parents and so they found it was difficult to study. However, having quality Hmong teachers could address this situation. Actually, if the Hmong girls could pass these two grades, with the help of such teachers, then they would be able to learn easily.

The findings of the research revealed that many parents, especially those who live in rural remote regions, should enrol their girls at preschool when they turn three years of

age and then they could go straight on to primary school when they turned six years old. Girls who entered kindergarten education did not have any problems with language issues when they enrolled in primary school.

The participants proposed that Hmong parents who lived far away from the centre of town should send their daughters to school. The existing situation was that only a few daughters from families living in remote areas complete primary school education. In addition, teachers, village chiefs and parents should work cooperatively to encourage Hmong children to study until they complete their primary schooling.

It is better to expand to a complete primary school because that can contribute to increasing the rate number of enrolment of girls in primary school.