Causes of School Drop Outs Among Boys in Secondary Schools in Namutumba Central, Kangultjmo Ward, Namutumba District Uganda

ABSTRACT

The problem of the study is to find out and compare the causes of dropout among boys in secondary schools in Namutumba District, Namutumba Central Kangulumo Warc4 and recommend intervention measures and further studies to emulate the same. The phenomenon has severe negative consequences on boys and society in terms of economic, social, political, and psychological dimensions and the problems are differentiable among the boys. Namutumba Districts have a high secondary school dropout rate of 10.6 compared to 8.5 for Iganga. The high dropout rate may be a result of socioeconomic factors such as poverty, early marriages, and the health status ofparents as well as children. The purpose of this study was to establish the causes of dropout among boys from secondaiy schools in Namaitumba Districts, Namutumba Central~ Uganda and spec~Ically to find out the factors that lead to dropoutfrom secondary school, among boys, to determine possible ways ofretaining learners in school until completion. A conceptualframework was used in the study to helpfocus on the causes of dropout among boys from secondary schools in Namutumba District. The study adopted descriptive survey design. The population of the study comprised of 800 form four students, 5 Head Teachers and 10 class teachers from 5 secondary schools in Namutumba District. Probability sampling technique was used to select 20 form four students, 3 Head Teachers and 7 class teachers. The instruments ofdata collection were questionnaires. Piloted was done in five schools using test-re-test method. A correlation coefficient of 0.78 was obtained for questionnaire ‘s reliability. Validity of the instruments was ascertained by the supervisorfrom CEODL Kampala international University. Quantitative data collected using closed-ended items in the questionnaires were analyzed using descriptive statistics like frequencies and percentages. The findings were presented in form of tables and graphs. The study found out that~ early marriage, low academic achievement~ poverty, and indisci~line caused dropout among boys in secondary schools in Namutun’iba Central. Additionally, the Head Teachers and Class Teachers employed guidance and counseling as a measure for retaining learners in the school until completion. The study, therefore, recommended that schools should strengthen guidance and counseling departments in order to offer quality services that may lead to responsible behavior, abolish forced repetition for weak students and solicit funds from donors and well-wishers for assisting the learners from poor families, government bursaries to take care of the increasing number of needy students in the district.