Strategies for Enhancing Primary School Completion Rates in Kakooga Cell, Nyantonzi Ward, Kyaterekera Town Council, Kagadi District

Abstract

This Community-Based Participatory Action Research (CBPAR) study investigated strategies for enhancing primary school completion rates in Kakooga Cell, Nyantonzi Ward, Kyaterekera Town Council in Kagadi District. Guided by Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Theory and Human Capital Theory, the research explored how household, school, and community environments influence pupils’ ability to complete primary education. A descriptive mixed- methods design was employed, integrating quantitative and qualitative approaches. Data were collected from 129 respondents comprising of pupils, parents, teachers and community leaders. Methods included questionnaire surveys, focus group discussions, key informant interviews, and document reviews. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and spearman’s rho correlation analysis while qualitative data were thematically analyzed. Findings revealed statistically significant relationships between socioeconomic factors, particularly low parental education, food insecurity, poverty, low household income and primary school dropout frequency. Major contributors to dropout included household poverty, lack of scholastic materials, food insecurity, parental negligence, domestic violence, child labor, poor academic performance, and negative peer influence. School-related factors such as teacher absenteeism, harsh punishment, and inadequate infrastructure further weakened retention. Through participatory engagement, community stakeholders generated strategies such as school feeding programs, strengthening parental involvement, improving guidance and counseling services, reducing child labor, enhancing community sensitization, and promoting supportive school environments. The study concludes that improving completion rates requires coordinated, community-driven interventions addressing economic, social, and school-based factors. It recommends strengthening collaboration among families, schools, and local leadership to ensure sustainable educational outcomes in Kakooga Cell.