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The study examined on how Fee Free Education Strengthens Girls’ Education in Mvomero District, specifically on enrollment rate of girls, retention rate of girls and girls’ academic performance in public secondary schools.
The study employed a case study research design, whereby documentary review, focus group discussion and interview were used as methods for data collection. Thematic analysis techniques were also used to analyse the qualitative data, which have been presented in direct quotations. The researcher found that girls were reported to participate effectively on Fee Free Education in schools in Mvomero District by increasing girls’ enrolment rate. For the year 2019 it reported that the number enlarged to 118 (23%) girls in public secondary schools.
The study found that Fee Free Education had improved enrolment rate of girls in public secondary school since most of students who selected to join secondary education did so, also the retention rate of girls who had been enrolled in public secondary schools was increased by 97.5% in the year 2019 and was due different strategies used by schools to make girls learn, apart from that girls’ academic performance in Form Two Nation Assessment (FTNA) was increased by 9% in the year 2019.
The study recommends that, the government should provide financial and non-financial support to disadvantage groups, so that they would benefit with the fee free policy. Since some of the students are from low income households, so may still not be able to attend school, despite the abolition of school fees. The policy should not only consider school fees but also should consider other direct contributions paid by parents but not indirect cost of schooling. Also, the government should have set of strategies in place to mitigate the retention rate of girls who enrolled in schools. In the course of study researcher observed some challenges caused by new education policy such as inadequacy of teachers, classrooms and textbooks. These challenges need to be addressed urgently and find a better way to resolve the situation. |
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