Analysis of Sociocultural Factors for Schools Drop Out Among Girls in Tanzania: A Case Study of Junior Secondary School

Abstract

School dropout among girls is a serious worldwide problem, especially in developing countries like Tanzania, which still faces the problem of girls dropping out despite international, national, and regional initiatives and steps to advance girls' rights. Like achieving gender equality and empowering all women and girls, as stated in SDG goal number 5. This study explores the sociocultural factors leading to high dropout among girls at junior secondary school in the mara region, Tanzania. A qualitative analysis was conducted to investigate the extent to which the social-cultural factors led to the high number of girls failing to complete their junior secondary studies in the Mara region by using a semi-structured interview and documentary review. With the semi-structured interview, the author interviewed fifteen parents and guardians, ten teachers (including school directors), and twenty dropout girls who participated in the study's discussions. This brought the overall number of research participants to 45. The interviewees, both women, and men were purposefully selected to be relevant to the current study. The study found that early marriage, female genital mutilation, household activities, social attitude against educating girls, and low levels of education among parents lead girls to drop out of school. It is suggested that the stakeholders should emphasize girls' education to avoid gender disparity. The government and NGOs should educate society and ensure that education in the Mara region should be prioritized for both boys and girls. To provide girls who are the victims of FGM with a safe place to run to, the government should prioritize creating rescue centers inside the districts with the help of local administration and other child activists.