The Influence of Gender Disparity on Girls’ Dropout Rates in Public Secondary Schools in Rwanda

This study determined the influence of gender disparity on girls’ dropout rates in public secondary schools in Kicukiro and Gicumbi Districts in Rwanda. Grounded on Social Justice Theory, the study learned gender disparity in girls ‘dropout rates from 260 respondents using questionnaires. It adopted a pragmatist research paradigm, a quantitative research approach, and a descriptive research design. The findings revealed a positive correlation between gender disparity and girls' dropout rates in secondary schools. The study concludes that there are positive perceptions of gender disparity in public secondary schools, highlighting issues like harassment by teachers and the underrepresentation of female teachers highlight the need for improved policies and support systems to create a safe and encouraging environment for female students. The study recommends enforcing anti-harassment policies, expanding education access for low-income girls, increasing female teacher presence, and promoting gender parity to boost girls' academic success.