Causes of School Dropout among Public Secondary School Students in Ifakara Town Council, Tanzania

This study aimed at exploring causes of students' dropout in public secondary schools in Ifakara Town Council, Morogoro. The study employed a mixed approach. The study involved 128 participants including 1 DEO, 7 heads of school, and 120 dropout students. Data was collected through questionnaires and interviews. Quantitative data were analysed using Statistical Packages for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20 while qualitative data were analysed through content analysis. The findings of the study revealed that low economic status of the respondents’ family was the leading cause of school dropout in the study area; the parents failed to meet school expenses and support their children education. Also, students missed school to do home responsibilities like taking care of their young siblings while the parents were working. Parents’ low level of education made them to have low income and not to value the education of their children. Children from single parent families had challenges with their school requirements being met which led to some dropping out of school. Major recommendation was that, Tanzanian government, NGOs and other educational stakeholders should provide more assistance for poor students who cannot afford to pay for educational materials by creating special program from government in co-operation with the Ministry responsible for education.