Examining Causes And Effects Of Rural Students Dropout In Secondary Schools In Tanzania: A Case Of Geita District

ABSTRACT

The purpose of the study was to identify the causes and the effect of rural students’ dropout in selected secondary school in Geita District. The sampled school were 6. They were mixed day schools whose 30 students were selected from form two to form four. Further the study included 30 class teachers, 6 heads of school, 15 parents, 12 victims drop out, 6 WECs, and 1 DEO, a total of 100 sampled population. The data collection instrument used were questionnaires for class teachers and for Students and interview schedule for parents, victims, Heads of the school, WEC, s, and DEO. Quantitative data were analyzed by using statistical package for social science (SPSS) version 20. And qualitative data were analyzed by organizing themes and coding them accordingly. The findings of the study were that the main causes of rural student drop out were distance, early marriage, poverty, family education background, peer pressure, family economic background. While the effects of rural student dropout in secondary schools were, drugs abuse, prostitution, early pregnancy, unemployment. The study concluded that government and the whole society should concentrate on finding a solution to overcome the student dropout in rural secondary schools in Geita District and to the other societies which experience the same problem. Schools should organize with others stakeholders including parents so as to maintain the discipline of the students. It is recommended that adult education programmes should be introduced, Social services should be improved so as to maintain a good environment for teaching and learning. Moreover secondary school students should be enrolled in the schools which are located near their residences.