The causes of school dropout in Uganda and the ways to overcome: A qualitative study

Purpose: The aim of the research is to investigate causes of school dropout and the ways to overcome in primary and secondary schools of Uganda. Method: In this research, a narrative research quantitative research method was used. The study involved 60 participants chosen using purposeful sampling technique. Data was collected using interviews and questionnaires specifically open-ended interview questions and closed-ended interview questions formulated by the researcher. Data was analyzed by means of content analyses. Results: The causes of school dropout include; poverty, domestic violence, low parental involvement in education, child labor, poor academic performance, age, lack of interest in education, bad peer influence, student harassment, class repetition, poor-quality schools and bad school environment. School dropout solution ways include, funded projects for poor families, NGOs, parental involvement in education, guidance, counseling, scholarships, high-quality government schools, lunch, improvement of school environment, monitoring student behavior and teacher motivation. Conclusion and Suggestions: The Ugandan government may establish income-generating projects, improve the quality of public schools. MoES may ensure effective inspection of schools. Teacher motivation and family sensitization regarding the value of education may be prioritized. Future researchers may investigate the characteristics of out-of-school children and the effectiveness of solutions for school dropout. Keywords: School Drop-out, The Causes of school drop-out, The ways to overcome school drop-out, Uganda, Sub-Saharan Africa