Parental Factors Associated with Students’ Dropout in Lower Public Secondary Schools in Gasabo District, Rwanda

This study aimed to investigate the parental factors associated with students' dropout rates in lower public secondary schools in Gasabo District, Rwanda. Its objectives were to determine how the socioeconomic status of parents is associated with students' dropout and to assess how parental involvement is related to students' dropout rates. The study was guided by Maslow's theory of human motivation, which is based on the hierarchy of human needs. The target population of the study consisted of 125 students who had dropped out of school, their parents, and 10 head teachers. Simple random sampling was employed to select 95 students who had dropped out of school and 46 parents, while 10 head teachers were selected purposively. Data were collected through questionnaires from the students and interviews with parents and head teachers. The Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) was used to analyze quantitative data, while qualitative data were analyzed thematically. Based on the findings, the socioeconomic status of parents was associated with students' dropout rates, as shown by the overall mean: 69 out of 87 students (79.45%) had dropped out due to their parents' socioeconomic status, compared to 18 out of 87 students (20.55%) who had not dropped out for this reason. The study also revealed that parental involvement was linked to students' dropout rates, as the parents of students who dropped out of school were rarely involved in their studies, as indicated by the overall mean and standard deviation (M = 1.62, SD = 0.569). Based on the study’s findings, it was recommended that the government should strengthen the welfare of families whose children show signs of dropping out. Additionally, parents should strive to create jobs that generate income to support their children's education, while school leaders should encourage parents to be more involved in their children's learning.