RUBIRIZI, Uganda — Education authorities in Rubirizi District have raised alarm over increasing school dropout rates, blaming the trend largely on child marriages and parental negligence.
The District Inspector of Schools, Sabit Elisamu, has warned that parents who withdraw their children from school to marry them off risk arrest, describing the practice as illegal and harmful to both education standards and children’s rights.
Speaking during a general meeting at Butoha Primary School in Magambo Sub-county, Elisamu urged parents, teachers, and pupils to prioritize education and safeguard children’s future.
“Parents should keep their children in school so they can become productive citizens. Education must be treated as an investment, not a source of income,” he said.
Elisamu revealed that his office has already received complaints about cases of underage marriages, emphasizing that such actions violate national laws. He added that beyond child marriage, several social challenges, including poverty, domestic violence, illiteracy, and disease, are undermining learners’ performance in schools.
He also cautioned against harsh disciplinary methods, noting that emotional, physical, and sexual violence are major factors affecting children’s ability to learn and complete their education.
The education official called for stronger collaboration between parents and schools to ensure children not only enroll but also stay in school and complete their studies.
Meanwhile, the headteacher of Butoha Primary School, Stivin Fokushaba, said the meeting was organized to review the school’s academic performance and address ongoing challenges.
He cited key issues affecting the school, including high dropout rates, late coming, unpaid school fees, child labor, lack of scholastic materials, and inadequate infrastructure such as classrooms and seating.
With a student population of over 800 pupils, Fokushaba emphasized the need for parents to actively support the school through community involvement and by fulfilling their responsibilities in their children’s education.
Leaders in the district are now calling for a collective effort, from parents, teachers, and local authorities—to curb child marriages and improve education outcomes in the area.
