An Examination of the Factors contributing to Learner Dropout at Grade Six Level in Manzini Region Primary Schools

Learner dropout remains a challenge in Eswatini despite the introduction of free primary education by the government. The study established the factors that contribute to learner dropout at the grade six level in the Manzini region. An interpretivist research philosophy and a qualitative research approach were adopted to collect the study’s data. A case study design made it possible to collect detailed data from purposively selected participants in three public primary schools. Interviews were held with two head teachers while nine grade six teachers took part in focus group discussions. Findings revealed that school-related factors like overcrowded classrooms, poor performance and non-availability of practical subjects that aligned with learners’ interests and abilities contributed to learner dropout. Findings further revealed that poverty, child labour, peer pressure, teenage pregnancy, lack of parental involvement, and initiation into cultural practices and activities contributed to learner dropout. The study recommended that the government should build more schools and classrooms and hire more qualified teachers to reduce overcrowding in classrooms and the distance walked by learners to school. The government should also support needy learners from disadvantaged backgrounds with basic necessities such as sanitary pads for girls. The Ministry of Education should introduce practical subjects like Carpentry, Art, Music and Dance to cater for the interests and abilities of different learners. Schools should promote parental involvement and core curricula activities to engage, motivate and retain learners. The study contributes to the body of knowledge by suggesting strategies that can mitigate learner dropout which is a widespread challenge in the SADC region and other African countries.


INTRODUCTION
Education is a fundamental human right and a foundation that enables children to develop and gain the knowledge, values and skills that they need to reach their full potential, gain economic independence and contribute positively to their communities. 1The Ministry of Education and Training (MOET), Policy views education as the main pillar of socioeconomic development.Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDGs) calls for a good quality, equitable, and free, primary and secondary education for all girls and boys by 2030, leading to effective and relevant learning outcomes. 2To achieve this goal, e every child must complete their education without dropping out along the way. 3 Eswatini Education Sector Strategic Plan 2022-2034, states that primary education begins at the age of six and lasts for seven years.It seeks to ensure that learners acquire knowledge, skills, attitudes, and values that are required for general and vocational education and the performance of basic life roles.Eswatini's primary level education develops learners' creativity, emotions, intelligence, and the acquisition of socio-cultural and physical skills. 4n its quest to offer quality basic education to all learners, the government of Eswatini introduced Free Primary Education (FPE) through the FPE Act, of 2010.The Act bestows the right to free primary education to every child.Section 3 (1) of the Act states that every Swazi child enrolled at a public primary school is entitled to free education at that school beginning with grade 1 up to Grade 7. FPE programme aims to reduce financial, physical, and socio-cultural barriers to education.The programme's key elements are the provision of qualified teachers, inclusive education suitable for learners with special needs, provision of teaching and learning materials such as exercise books and textbooks, furniture and school grants to cover school feeding, etc. 5 MOET emphasises the creation of conducive learning conditions in schools that would enable learners to pursue lifelong learning. 6ohlouoa argues that despite the removal of barriers to schooling such as removing fee payments, there are other reasons for learners not to attend school. 7Despite the introduction of FPE in Eswatini in 2010, learner dropout is still prevalent in the country's primary schools.MOET's 2018 latest report on out-of-school highlights grade six as having the highest dropout rate percentage.This report predicted that the trend was likely to continue for years.The dropout rate in other grades is below 5% while in grade six it is above 10%. 8The transition rate from Grade Six in primary school to Form One in secondary school is closer to sixty-three per cent. 9Seemingly, the high dropout rate at grade six contributes to the low transition rate from primary school to secondary school.Cervellino notes that school dropout has detrimental consequences for individuals and their societies, as it contributes adversely to young people's health and well-being. 10It also increases the risk of marginalisation and social exclusion.Cervellino views early interventions and prevention of school dropouts as advisable.The study explores factors that contribute to the high learner dropout rate at the grade six level in the Manzini region primary schools and generates strategies that could be used to mitigate the situation.The following questions underlie the study: 1. Which factors contribute to learner dropout at the grade six level in Manzini region primary schools? 2. How can learner dropout be addressed?

LITERATURE REVIEW Learner Dropout
Learner Dropout is the inability of the learner to continue with school, probably due to the learner's own performance and behaviour or socio-economic conditions.At times the school system is not enabling, and it pushes the learner out of school. 11In Tsomo's view, learner dropout refers to a learner who leaves school before the official exit grade level.12MOET views dropouts as learners who had earlier been recorded in education data but are no longer at school.13

Factors Contributing to Learner Dropout
Ngwakwe argues that enacting effective policies for reducing learner dropout rates requires knowledge of the causative factors. 14These factors are discussed below:

School Level Factors
Nekongo-Nielsen et al view the school and education systems policies as responsible for learner dropout. 15earners who repeat a grade more than once tend to lose interest in school and decide to drop out because they become too old for the grade, lose discipline and start bullying younger learners.Research on learner dropout should focus on characteristics of schools that negatively affect learners, instead of only focusing on the characteristics of the learner. 16School factors that have been associated with high school dropout rates include a high teacher-learner ratio, poor education quality, overcrowded classrooms, lack of learning materials, and poorly trained teachers.17Nekongo-Nielsen et al view long distances to school as another cause of learner dropout.18Some schools are far for children to walk especially young children in lower grades who in some areas have to go through mountainous places and thick forests to access schools.Walking for long distances to and from school daily can challenge learners and force them to leave school.

Socio-economic Factors
Vushe and Mohlouoa view child labour and poverty in households as aggravating learner dropout in schools. 19ILO estimated that 21.3% of learners between the ages of 10 and 14 in Lesotho were working, girls as domestic workers and boys as herders. 20Nekongo-Nielsen et al argue that children as young as 10 years leave school for employment purposes, earning an income to spend on other basic needs and not necessarily on school-related needs. 21ushe links learner dropout to poverty, high crime rates, and alcohol and drug abuse.Studies on socio-economic situations show that poverty and economic challenges contribute to negative self-concept in terms of academic capabilities. 22This leads to a lack of motivation, failure at school, delinquency, and higher dropout rates. 23Poverty has an indirect effect on school performance through its association with ill-health.For example, malnutrition may affect learners' motivation and capacity to concentrate.This might lead to limited cognitive development and learning disabilities which might further lead to lower test achievement and repeating of grades. 24Pridmore spells out that learners who lack protein, energy, and certain nutrients in their diets due to hunger and malnutrition do not have the same potential for learning as nourished and healthy learners. 25Disadvantaged learners attend school less frequently and are more likely to repeat grades and drop out early.Nekongo-Nielsen et al reveal that the absence of feeding schemes in schools contributes to learner dropout. 26If the school feeding scheme is not there, the majority of learners from poor families drop out of school and go to search for food elsewhere.

Family Level Factors
UNESCO notes that lack of parental support, and rejection or neglect by one or both parents who fail to take responsibility for parenthood perpetuate a high learner dropout rate. 27Adopted or foster children who are not blood relatives may also be rejected.Rejected children may suffer from anxiety and psychological issues.UNESCO further notes that children who have been orphaned by AIDS are prone to suffer from discrimination and a lack of resources needed to meet their educational needs.Without the support, care, and guidance from parents, learners end up dropping out of school. 28Nekongo-Nielsen et al. view childheaded families, children taking care of sick relatives, and the educational background of parents as some of the factors that lead to learner dropout. 29Homes with weaker educational backgrounds have less academic support for children.Parents tend to pull their children out of school to take care of sick relatives or to get married prematurely. 30ekongo-Nielsen et al view family mobility and seasonal migration as a contributing factor to learner dropout. 31They reveal that children are pulled out of school due to seasonal migration practised mainly in the Kunene region, where families move to the river during the dry season and inland during the rainy season.Seasonal absenteeism affects learning as learners miss a lot of what is learnt throughout the year.Such learners are forced to repeat grades and eventually drop out of school as they become too old for those grades. 32

Socio-cultural Factors
Begizew and Nekongo-Nielsen et al argue that socio-cultural factors like teenage pregnancy, peer pressure, and indiscipline as well as cultural traditions and practices such as early marriages contribute to the dropout rate in schools. 33Teachers' stigmatisation and attitudes towards pregnant learners contribute to more pregnant learners dropping out of school, and after giving birth, teenage mothers lack support both at home and school. 34Grant and Hallman argue that the lack of socio-economic opportunities for girls and women results in endorsement for early motherhood. 35Most school girls who fall pregnant drop out of school and do not return to school after a pregnancy-related dropout. 36Nekongo-Nielsen et al posit that peer pressure and indiscipline force learners to engage in destructive behaviours such as alcohol consumption and bullying activities which lead to dropout. 37Begizew argues that in certain cultures girls are driven into marriage with old men by their parents at a tender school-going age. 38In most cases, these school girls are forced to drop out of school and focus on their marriage.

Strategies for Dealing with Learner School Dropout
Begizew, Mohlouoa, and Vushe view the strategies discussed below as ideal for addressing learner dropout: 39 Improving Schools and Instructional Delivery In Begizew's study, 81% of participating dropouts wanted better teachers and smaller classes with more individualised instruction. 40More than 55% believed that a lot needed to be done to assist learners who had problems in learning.Some of the learners complained that they had big classes the teachers did not even know their names.They said that smaller classes were necessary, as they would enable teachers to maintain order in the classroom and provide individualised attention and instructional delivery. 41ohlouoa argues that the creation of child-friendly schools should be the ultimate goal in motivating children to come to school and to remain there until they complete their primary education. 42

Enhancing the Connection between School and Work
Begizew asserts that schools should make what they teach in class more relevant to learners' lives. 43Eighty-one per cent of respondents in Begizew's study said that if schools provided opportunities for real-world learning like internships and service learning projects, they would improve learners' chances of completing school.Most studies have noted that clarifying the links between schools and getting a job may convince more learners to stay at school. 44Lesotho Ministry of Education and Training (LMET) argues that the provision of a life skills curriculum is necessary as it has the potential to promote resilience to life challenges that learners face, thus ensuring their stay at school. 45

Education Campaigns and Constructing Additional Schools and Classrooms
LMET advocates for a government campaign in communities to make primary education popular. 46ampaigns would enlighten parents and children about the importance of education.Mohlouoa advises the government to construct more primary schools and classrooms to cater for increased enrolments due to FPE. 47 This would reduce learner dropout caused by walking long distances to school and overcrowded classes.

Legislation of Compulsory Basic Education and Abolishing Child Labour
Vushe and Mohlouoa state that the government should abolish child labour and enact policies that can reduce learner dropout if universal primary education is to be attained. 48LMET calls for compulsory quality education. 49It views child labour as robbing children of their childhood while compulsory education plays a protective role for children.

Parental Involvement
In Begizew's study, 71% of respondents viewed parental and guardian involvement in schools as one of the means of keeping learners at school. 50Schools and parents should jointly attend to challenges experienced by children before they result in learner dropout.Vushe suggests that events should be organised where parents, learners and teachers forge relationships and share information on the learner's social and academic life. 51Strong collaboration between schools and parents would offer support to learners.Learners showing signs of withdrawal would be motivated to continue schooling if they are given timely support and counselling.

THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK
The study was grounded on the engagement theory.

Engagement Theory
The study was guided by the engagement theory which believes that learners connect with learning activities through interaction with others and through meaningful activities and tasks. 52The engagement theory views learners' involvement and commitment to their studies as determined by how interactive and meaningful their school tasks and learning activities are.Vushe states that the use of technology and practical activities rather than theoretical and textbook learning detached from reality increases learner engagement and reduces dropout rates. 53Learners who feel that their schools empower them with creativity, reasoning problem-solving and decision-making skills are more intrinsically motivated to complete school. 54In Bridgeland, Dilulio and Morison's study, close to half of learner participants said that they did not find school interesting and had dropped out because they were bored and disengaged at school. 55They believed that teachers were not interested in school and their learning.Engagement applies to the level of learners' identification with the school, and the development of positive relationships with peers and educators. 56hodaeifaal identifies three dimensions of learner engagement social engagement, intellectual engagement and academic engagement. 57Willms, Friesen and Milton and Dunleavy and Milton view social engagement as a sense of belonging and participation in school life. 58It gives learners opportunities to develop social skills, networks and constructive friendships.In this form of engagement, learners participate in school activities and core curriculum activities.This brings the learner's strong sense of belonging to the school community.Intellectual engagement is a cognitive and emotional investment in learning using higher-order thinking skills, such as analysis and construction of new knowledge and solutions to complex problems. 59Learners' ability to construct knowledge and solve challenging problems motivates them to continue learning. 60cademic engagement refers to the learner's participation in the formal requirements of schooling including school attendance. 61Dunleavy and Milton express that academic engagement develops learners' personal responsibility and their academic success. 62Academically engaged learners rarely skip classes, and study hard to keep their performance and results high.They always attend classes on time, complete and submit their work on time. 63Learners who comply with school requirements usually enjoy positive experiences at school and are motivated to stay at school and complete their studies.
White and Kelly, and Vushe state that parental involvement plays an important role in the success and completion of school by the learner. 64Most learners who drop out of school are those whose parents are not engaged in their education.The engagement theory underscores the necessity of making learning engaging, interactive, interesting, and enjoyable for learners so that they are kept motivated to stay at school and complete their studies. 65

METHODOLOGY
The study used interpretivism research philosophy which believes in socially constructed multiple realities, and that knowledge is gained through social constructions. 66Interpretivism made it possible for the researcher to go to schools and understand learner dropout from the participants' viewpoint, and construct possible solutions together with participants.A qualitative research approach allowed the researcher to collect rich data directly from participants in their natural settings in schools, where learner dropout is occurring. 67A case study design enabled the researcher to focus on three selected primary schools in the Manzini region and study them in detail.Two head teachers were interviewed, while nine grade six teachers participated in focus group discussions.All participants were purposively sampled because they had vast knowledge of learner dropout since they dealt with it in their line of duty in schools.Interviews provide a deeper understanding of social phenomena than would not be obtained from purely quantitative methods, such as questionnaires. 68Interviews and focus group discussions enabled the researcher to get detailed first-hand information from participants.
Data was analysed in a narrative and verbatim manner. 69Ethical guidelines were upheld by protecting participants' identities and the names of their schools.Participants signed a consent form with ethical guidelines before taking part in the study.They were told of their right to withdraw from the study anytime they wanted to without any victimisation. 70Data was kept safe in lockable shelves and passwordprotected computers.Permission to conduct the study was sought from MOET.

PRESENTATION OF FINDINGS AND DISCUSSIONS
This section presents the study's findings under the themes that emerged during data analysis and interpretation.Schools were coded as School A, School B and C. Participants were coded as Head Teacher from School A, teacher 1 from School A, teacher 2 from School C, etc.

Learner Dropout
In response to the question: In your understanding, what is learner dropout?Participants said: It is a situation where a learner leaves school without obtaining qualifications that are in line with their age e.g. if the child leaves school before obtaining a grade 7 qualification (Teacher 2 school A).
I can say ilearner dropout is, let's say ilearner is registered ma kusuka umnyaka (at the beginning of the year) and then after some months akaseti esikoleni (he/she stops coming to school (Teacher 1 school B).

Aaa! I think learner dropout is when the learner moves out of school due to a certain situation (Headteacher School C).
Participants' assertions are supported by Nekongo-Nielsen et al., and Tsomo who view learner dropout as referring to a learner who leaves school before the official exit-grade level due to certain conditions. 71

Factors that Contribute to Learner Dropout in Schools
Participants gave different factors that contribute to learner dropout.Those factors are discussed under the themes below.

Orphanhood and Child-headed Families
Participants said that most learners were orphaned by AIDS and the Covid-19 pandemic.This resulted in a lack of resources leading to school dropout.
Most parents were lost during the HIV pandemic before ARV therapy.Some parents were lost due to the Covid-19 pandemic.Without parents, children have no support.Some are forced to relocate and stay with relatives in environments that are not conducive for them to continue schooling (Teacher 3 School A).
In this area when the freeway was constructed a lot of girls were impregnated by workers from South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Botswana.Most of them were infected with HIV and AIDS and leaving children orphaned and living with poor relatives and grandparents.Orphaned children living with poor relatives and those from child-headed families drop out of school to beg in the streets because of poverty (Head Teacher School C).
UNESCO notes that children orphaned by AIDS face discrimination and also lack the resources needed to meet their educational needs. 72The loss of parents leaves families headed by children without resources, and this pushes them out of school.Participants said that child-headed families were also a result of separated or divorced parents who moved on with life leaving children behind to fend for themselves.

Unpleasant School Conditions
Participants revealed that an unpleasant school environment that failed to cater for learners' needs and abilities caused learners to drop out.Some teachers don't cater for less academically gifted learners in class.They rush to finish the syllabuses and leave less gifted learners behind (Teacher 2 School A).
The curriculum only offers Agriculture as a practical subject and does not offer other practical subjects to cater for students who are talented in them.This results in learner frustration and dropout (Headteacher school C).
Overcrowding, lack of resources like consumer science labs, poor teaching, and high failure rate discourage learners and force them to drop out of school (Teacher 1 School A).
Vushe identifies overcrowded classrooms, lack of learning materials, and poor education quality as contributing to the high learner dropout rate. 73Failure to provide resources and practical subjects to cater for learner diversity prejudices and disengages learners.The engagement theory contends that learners who do not find the school interesting tend to disengage and finally drop out. 74Learners can only be academically and intellectually engaged if schools teach content that is more relevant to their lives. 75articipants viewed abuse at school by teachers and peers as creating an unpleasant school environment that leads to learner dropout.
Abuse at school and along the way may lead to dropout.Verbal and sexual abuse by peers and even male and female teachers may also lead to learner dropout.(Teacher 1 School A).
Bridgeland et al argue that learners become engaged at school when they develop positive relationships with teachers and their peers. 76If the relationships are poor and abusive, learners are likely to identify less with the school and end up disengaging and dropping out.Teachers who abuse learners are likely to be those who did not receive adequate training.Vushe says that poorly trained teachers contribute to learner dropout. 77Such teachers are likely to have shortcomings in learner and classroom management.This may weaken learner engagement and lead to dropout.

Socio-cultural Practices
Participants said that different cultural practices in different communities contribute to learner dropout.
Culture, ukubutseka (conscription) and staying in slumps in the king's residence and partaking in working in the King's fields and dancing isibhaca and ummiso.Children drop out of school and go there.When they grow up some of them can be employed as police or soldiers.So, they don't see the reasons for going to school since some who finish school don't get employed, yet those who stay at the palace have chances of being employed in the army and police (Head Teacher School C).
Some children are diagnosed with spiritual issues that require them to be initiated traditionally like kuthwasa babe tangoma.Ukuthwasa takes time and after that when they are sangomas (traditional healers) they start a new life and do not come back to school (Teacher 2 School A).
Some learners take cattle to the dip tank every Tuesday, and this systematic absenteeism eventually leads to dropout (Teacher 3 School C).
Like in other African countries, socio-cultural practices are highly regarded in Eswatini, and most citizens participate in them.Nekongo-Nielsen et al and Begizew support participants' arguments that sociocultural practices contribute to learner dropout. 78This happens mostly if these cultural practices clash with the school calendar.Participants said that in Eswatini some of the cultural practices like dancing isibhaca and ummiso in the royal palaces are associated with rewards like employment in the army or police.Learners tend to prioritise these practices over education which they view as delivering fewer employment opportunities to graduates.

Poor Performance at School and Lack of Parental Involvement
Participants noted that learners' poor performance at school results in dropout.
Poor performance is another factor that frustrates and forces learners to leave school (Teacher 2 School A).
Nekongo-Nielsen et al assert that learners who struggle with their schoolwork end up leaving school, especially if they are forced to repeat grades due to poor performance. 79Participants also noted that lack of parental involvement contributes to learners' poor performance and dropping out of school.
Another factor is that parents no longer support or care about their children.They focus more on their work and do not monitor and motivate children to do their schoolwork.They don't see the value of school.This makes children lose commitment to school (Headteacher School B).
UNESCO identifies lack of parental support as one of the major factors that perpetuate high dropout rates in schools. 80Parental involvement promotes learners' success in their school work.Most learners who drop out of school are those whose parents are not engaged in their education. 81earners' motivation and capacity to concentrate.Disadvantaged learners attend school less frequently and are more likely to repeat grades and drop out early.
Participants noted that the health conditions of learners from poor backgrounds are not attended to until they force learners to drop out of school.They further noted that due to poverty, adolescent stage, and peer pressure, teenage girls engage in early sex and fall pregnant.
Most learners reach the puberty stage at the grade 6 level.At puberty, children want to experience a lot of things e.g.sexually.Some end up staying with boys resulting in teenage pregnancy and dropping out of school (Teacher 3 School A).
Some children want things that their parents can't afford, and they go for sugar daddies who provide those things.This exposes them to the risk of falling pregnant and dropping out of school (Teacher 1 School C).
Though MOET has said that pregnant learners should stay at school, they cannot be comfortable around their peers, because MOET did not prepare learners and teachers to handle pregnant learners.Some teachers and learners say cruel words to pregnant students.A certain learner dropped out when she fell pregnant because her peers were making fun of her (Teacher 3 School C).
Participants' assertions that some learners drop out due to pregnancy are supported by Grant and Hallman, who argue that a lack of socio-economic opportunities for girls and women results in early motherhood. 87Most school girls who fall pregnant usually drop out and do not return to school after a pregnancy-related dropout. 88

Strategies for Dealing with Learner Dropout in Schools
Participants suggested strategies that could be used to deal with learner dropout in schools.These strategies are discussed below.

Introduction of Practical Subjects in the Curriculum
Participants said that not all students are talented in academic subjects.Some students are talented and interested in practical subjects.They believed that such students could be engaged and stay at school if practical subjects that address their abilities and interests were introduced in the curriculum.
Though Agriculture is now taught in primary school, the Ministry of Education should introduce more practical subjects like Carpentry, Music, and Arts to cater for the different abilities and interests of different learners (Teacher 2 School A).
The introduction of practical subjects in the school curriculum is supported by Vushe who argues that practical activities increase learner engagement and reduce dropout. 89The engagement theory believes that learners become motivated to complete school if what they are taught enhances their creativity. 90Julius Nyerere's philosophy of education with production viewed practical subjects as enhancing learners' creativity and skills needed for survival in their communities.Begizew  Participants expressed that it was difficult to identify and address the needs of all learners in overcrowded classrooms.The unaddressed needs of learners resulted in disengagement and eventually drop out.Participants said that such a challenge could be solved if the government could build more schools and employ more qualified teachers.In Begizew's study, 81% of participating dropouts wanted better teachers and smaller classes with more individualised instruction. 92Participants said that if the government builds more classrooms and schools in communities, learner dropout caused by overcrowded classrooms and walking long distances to school would be reduced.Mohlouoa advises the government to build more primary schools and classrooms to cater for the increased learner population due to FPE. 93

Core-curricular Activities
According to the engagement theory, learners who are socially engaged in core-curriculum activities at school are intrinsically motivated to complete school. 94Participants said that encouraging learners to actively participate in sports could heighten their engagement in school activities and motivate them to complete their studies.
Active participation in sports can reduce the dropout rate.Some learners excel in sports than academically.These days we have sports at school and they are excited.They don't absent themselves (Headteacher School B).
There is a student who attends school during the traditional dance period, and after it ends he drops out and comes back the second year during the dance period.The school accepts him back because he is good at dancing and he helps the school to win competitions.The school must promote co-curricular activities to cater for students who are gifted in them.Sports, dance and poetry are very important in life (Teacher 1 School B).
There should be early identification of children's abilities.Those children who are talented in sports, dance and music should be channelled accordingly rather than being forced to do subjects that will frustrate and force them to drop out of school (Teacher 2 School A).
In some countries, they take sports seriously and a child can have a career in sports or music where they are good than forcing them to do things that they are not good at.The government's education is shallow.It should cater for the different talents and abilities of learners (Teacher 3 School C).
Core-curriculum activities give learners a sense of belonging and participation in school life.They are part of social engagement at school that gives learners opportunities to develop social skills, networks 92 Begizew, " Contributing Factors for School Dropout in Primary School; The Cause of Jabi Woreda, WEST Gojjam, Ethiopia." 93Mohlouoa, "Factors Influencing the Dropout Rate in Primary Schools in the Teyateyaneng Region, Lesotho ." 94Vushe, "A Qualitative Exploration of the Personal, Schooling and Structural Factors Contributing to High School Learner Dropout in Philippi." • Introduce guidance and counselling services to give learners career guidance, and to help them cope with encountered challenges.

CONCLUSION
The study concluded that despite the introduction of Free Primary Education in Eswatini, the learner dropout rate remains prevalent in the Manzini region primary schools.It was also concluded that schoolrelated factors as well as socio-cultural and socio-economic factors contributed to learner dropout in primary schools.The study further concluded that learner dropout could be mitigated through government support of learners from poor backgrounds, and building of more primary schools and classrooms, parental involvement, and curriculum reform through introducing more practical subjects and giving attention to activities to cater for learners' diverse abilities and interests.

Building more Schools and Employing more Teachers Participants
advises schools to ensure that what is learnt in class is relevant to learners' lives. 91 Hallman, "Pregnancy-related School Dropout and Prior School Performance in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa."88Grant ann, "Pregnancy-related School Dropout and Prior School Performance in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa."89Vushe, "Atative Exploration of the Personal, Schooling and Structural Factors Contributing to High School Learner Dropout in Philippi."90Vushe,"AQualitativeExploration of the Personal, Schooling and Structural Factors Contributing to High School Learner Dropout in Philippi."91Begizew,"Contributing Factors for School Dropout in Primary School; The Cause of Jabi Woreda, WEST Gojjam, Ethiopia."statedthat learner dropout related to walking long distances to school, poor infrastructure and overcrowded classrooms could be mitigated if the government builds more schools and employs more qualified teachers.For overcrowding and high teacher-pupil ratio, the government should build more schools and employ enough qualified teachers.The government should improve infrastructure and provide resources like furniture (Teacher 3 School A)