Feminism and post-colonialism in the Arab-Bedouin educational system

Although several studies of the Bedouin educational system have been carried out (Meir and Barnea 1988; Melitz 1995; Abu-Saad 1991, 1995, 1997), none deals in depth with the dropout phenomenon in general, and none with female dropouts in particular. The few studies that have been carried out about the dropout problem have been written largely by foreign or male researchers (Hoz and Kenan 1997; Ben-David 2000; Meir 1986). This is the first study exploring the female dropout issue from the point of view of a Bedouin female researcher who has had an opportunity to investigate the girls and their situation directly—an especially important advantage in this sex-segregated society.