High school dropout rate worries Rukungiri officials
What you need to know:
- The school dropout in the district is at 55 percent compared to 40 percent of last year.
- Nyakishenyi, Bwambara, and Nyarushanje are the most affected sub-counties.
Rukungiri District officials have expressed worry over the increasing cases of school drop-outs.
Mr Wasswa Masaokoyi, the district chief administrative officer, attributed the problem to early marriages.
“The issue is wide and needs everyone’s participation to have it stopped. We have launched a school dropout campaign and we are also sensitising parents about the dangers of marrying off their girls,’’ he said last week.
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The school dropout in the district is at 55 percent compared to 40 percent of last year.
Nyakishenyi, Bwambara, and Nyarushanje are the most affected sub-counties.
Ms Musimenta Caledonia, the district secretary for social services, said the cases are more reflected among the girl-child.
“Girls face more challenges than boys. That’s why girls who complete their education cycle are few . Every bad habit targets girls which at times forces them to drop out of school,’’ Ms Musimenta said. She urged parents to educate their children.
“Parents should consider the education of their children as an important venture instead of allowing them to leave schooling at tender age, that’s when the district will able to contain the habit,” she said.
Ms Musimenta added that there are other factors forcing children out of school such as parental negligence, child labour, nightclubs, negative attitude by parents and children towards education.’’
Mr Jackson Turyahumura, the district education officer, attributed the dropout rates to unfriendly study environment characterised by teachers’ absenteeism and high level of poverty.
“Lack of food as a result of poverty greatly make many school going children opt to drop out and look for other ways of survival and end up being impregnated,” he said.
He said the district education department has tasked sub-county chiefs to monitor pupils and teachers to avoid absenteeism.
“We tasked chiefs to table their findings to the offices of the CAO and the DEO for appropriate action,’’ he added.
Ms Hilda Mbabazi from Join for joy, an NGO, advised school administrators to embrace playful learning as a strategy to attract children.
Ms Mbabazi said the strategy enhances children’s learning capacity and knowledge retention thus improving children’s performance.
“Playful learning develops self confidence, creates and maintains friendship, effective communication, among others skills, which keep children in schools,’’ she said.
