Participants at validation of the research
A new research has suggested the government to establish “girl’s protection committees” in public and government aided schools to fight girl’s dropout that leads them into early marriage.
According to the research, lack of family support for girl’s education is the highest cause of dropout with 57.4%, followed by poverty 55.6%, unplanned pregnancy at 2.8%, early marriage 5.6%, peer influence and long distances to schools responsible at 5.1%.
The research was conducted by Building Learning Foundations (BLF), a British non-government organization that works to improve learning outcomes. The research was released on 30 March 2022.
Gaspard Twagirayezu, Minister of State in Charge of Primary and Secondary Education
It was conducted using a sampling method of 128 primary schools from across the country, 127 head teachers, 216 math teachers (female teacher’s priority) and 640 school girls, purposive sampling the eldest/over-age girls.
“Establishing specialized safeguarding committees is essential, but will be an addition of several ways that have been put to keep our girls in schools. It can be considered,” Gaspard Twagirayezu, Minister of State in Charge of Primary and Secondary Education said.
“We have been working with BLF on the selection of Gender focal teachers in every school to be the facilitators of the Girls clubs as well as the establishment of Safeguarding committees at school level. A school should be a safe place for a child to learn,” Leon Mugenzi, Head of Teacher Development, Management, Career Guidance &Counselling Department at Rwanda Basic Education Board (REB).
