Building on Rwanda's efforts to reduce school dropout

Rwanda's investment in education has significantly expanded access to schooling through initiatives such as free basic education, school feeding programmes, and classroom construction. Today, however, the conversation has evolved. The priority is no longer only to ensure that children enrol in school, but also that they remain there until completing their education. ALSO READ: 10 things to know about the new catch-up scheme for school dropouts Recognizing this, the 20th National Umushyikirano Council resolved to strengthen campaigns and educational measures to reduce school dropout. While strengthening campaigns and educational measures is a step in the right direction, the real question is whether they are enough to address a problem whose causes often lie beyond the classroom. Evidence shows that awareness alone cannot overcome the social, economic and family-related barriers that continue to force many children out of school. Understanding these barriers is essential to developing solutions that strengthen school retention. ALSO READ: Tackling school dropout for girls: What is the way forward for Rwanda? Poverty remains one of the most significant drivers of school dropout in Rwanda. Although basic education is free, many families continue to struggle with the indirect costs of schooling, including transport, uniforms, meals and learning materials. These costs often increase as children progress to secondary school, making continued education more difficult for low-income households. Economic hardship also forces some households to rely on children's contribution to farming, household responsibilities and other income-generating activities. These realities extend beyond what awareness campaigns can address. Reducing poverty-driven school dropouts therefore requires stronger social protection and economic support that reduce the financial pressures driving families to withdraw children from education. ALSO READ: Six govt initiatives behind decline in school dropouts Family instability is another important factor contributing to school dropout in Rwanda. Parental separation, imprisonment and frequent migration in search of employment can leave children without the consistent care and support they need to stay in school. In many cases, these circumstances also reduce parental involvement, making it more difficult to identify attendance problems, declining academic performance or other signs that a child is at risk of dropping out. As a result, some children struggle to continue their education and are more likely to leave school before completing their studies. While strengthening campaigns remains an important part of the response, improving school retention also requires stronger family support and child protection services that address the instability many vulnerable children experience at home. ALSO READ: Overcrowded schools lower quality of education Additionally, learning barriers also contribute significantly to school dropout in Rwanda. Many learners move through primary school without developing basic reading, writing and mathematics skills, making it harder to understand new lessons as they progress through school. Evidence shows that some Primary six learners still struggle with simple mathematics and reading comprehension, leaving them unprepared for the demands of secondary education. As these learning gaps widen, many fall behind academically, lose confidence and eventually disengage from learning. Reducing these barriers therefore requires improving school retention also requires early identification of learning difficulties, remedial learning programs and targeted academic support to help struggling learners succeed. Teenage pregnancy remains one of the leading drivers of school dropout among girls, particularly at the secondary school level. For many girls, pregnancy interrupts education long before they make the decision to leave school. The physical demands of pregnancy, health complications associated with teenage pregnancy, financial pressures, stigma and the expectation of taking on new responsibilities often make it difficult to continue attending school. Faced with these realities, many girls leave school before completing their education. Encouraging girls to stay in school remains an important part of the solution, and its effectiveness can be strengthened through improved access to teenage-friendly sexual and reproductive health services, efforts to reduce stigma and practical support that enable girls to continue their education during and after pregnancy. Children with disabilities also face barriers that make it difficult not only to enrol in school, but also to learn, participate and succeed once they are there. Schools that do not provide sign language interpretation, accessible learning materials or specialized support prevent many learners with hearing, behavioural and cognitive impairments from fully participating in class. Inaccessible classrooms, limited assistive technologies and inadequate teacher training in inclusive education further isolate learners, causing many to fall behind academically before eventually leaving school. This highlights the importance of providing accessible infrastructure, trained teachers, sign language services, assistive technologies, and specialized learning materials that enable every child to participate, learn, and succeed on an equal basis. To strengthen the implementation and impact of the 20th National Umushyikirano Council resolution, we propose that: MINEDUC, local governments, and social protection institutions boost targeted support for economically vulnerable households to reduce the financial pressures that drive children out of school. MINEDUC, NCDA, and child protection actors augment family support and early intervention services for children affected by family instability, ensuring they remain engaged in school despite difficult family circumstances. MINEDUC and REB strengthen foundational learning through early identification of learning difficulties, remedial education, and targeted academic support for struggling learners to prevent learning gaps from becoming a driver of school dropout. MINEDUC and the Ministry of Health increase support for pregnant learners by expanding adolescent-friendly health services, reducing stigma, and promoting flexible pathways that enable girls to complete their education. MINEDUC, REB, and partners supporting inclusive education increase opportunities for schooling through more teacher training, provision of infrastructure, introduction and use of assistive technologies, sign language services, and specialized learning materials that enable children with disabilities to learn on an equal basis. The 20th National Umushyikirano Council has rightly reaffirmed Rwanda's commitment to reducing school dropout through strengthened campaigns and educational measures. It is clear, however, that lasting improvements in school retention will depend on reinforcing these efforts with interventions that address the economic, family, learning, health, and accessibility barriers that continue to keep many children out of school. By tackling these root causes alongside continued awareness efforts, Rwanda has an opportunity to build on its remarkable progress in expanding access to education and move closer to ensuring that every child not only enrols in school, but remains there, completes their education and reaches their full potential. The writer is a Quality Assurance and Compliance Officer at Never Again Rwanda.

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Building on Rwanda's efforts to reduce school dropout