School Dropout among Girls: Reasons and Measures in Community Secondary Schools in Temeke Municipality, Tanzania

Abstract

Dropout has been identified as one of the major issues in schools, affecting the youth's future. Despite all initiatives to ensure education for all, dropout remains persistent and a challenge towards achieving education for all in Tanzania. This study investigated measures of reducing dropout among girls in community secondary schools in Temeke municipality. Specifically, the study focused on the reasons for girls’ dropout and measures to be employed to manage it. The study adopted a mixed method design targeting community secondary schools in Temeke municipality. A sample size of 169 respondents, including heads of schools, teachers, students, parents, education officers, and ward education officers, was drawn using both purposive and probability sampling techniques. Questionnaire, interview, observation and focus group discussion methods were used to collect primary data, while documentary review was used to collect secondary data. The study discovered that distance from school, family low income, inadequate sanitary pad punishment, economic factors, and poverty and family problems such as family conflicts are the main causes of secondary school dropout for girls in the named municipality. The strategies that have been used to minimize girls’ dropout are education for self-awareness, making connections with at-risk students, alternative schooling, family teacher engagement and strengthening laws. The study recommends some ways of reducing secondary school dropout to include policy innovation to allow stakeholders flexibility in addressing challenges related to dropout. The government should ensure the presence of enough teachers and adequate teaching and learning materials to improve infrastructure, especially toilets for girls.