Exploring Factors Contributing to Female Students Dropout Rates in Community Secondary Schools in Tanzania: A case of Mbinga District.

The purpose of the current study was to explore the factors contributing to female students dropout rates in community secondary schools in Mbinga District in Tanzania. The study used a qualitative approach involving a sample of four head teachers, forty secondary school female dropouts and their parents from four secondary schools in Mbinga District. Several research instruments were used including questionnaires, interviews and the documentary review of school records. Content analysis technique was used for the analysis of data. The findings showed that factors contributing to female students dropout rates include school facilities and socio- economic issues had an adverse influence on the school dropout rate of the female students. Insufficient school facilities influenced more female students to dropout from school. Some female students who wanted to leave school for marriage used to become pregnant as a shortcut. The parents` perception on value of education influenced parents’ neglect on investment in their daughters’ education for fear of pregnancy. On the basis of these findings, it was recommended to establish girls’ re-entry programs to help those who terminate schooling because of pregnancy; to campaign for public girls’ clubs at school level; establishing an effective enforcement law; and deployment of female teachers in rural schools to act as role models. There is a need also to change the societal negative attitudes and overall socio-economic issues hindering investment in girls’ education