Demand for education in Rwanda: The effect of school fees on students’ completion in secondary schools

Emmanuel Ntakirutimana

doi:10.51867/ajernet.7.1.36

Authors

Ntakirutimana Emmanuel
entakirutimana01@gmail.com
University of Technology and Arts of Byumba, Rwanda https://orcid.org/0009-0003-9343-1394

Keywords:

Demands of Education, School Fees, Students’ Completion, Secondary Schools

Abstract

This paper examines the actual cost of school fees by class level, school location, and socio-economic status of families and how it influences the students’ completion of secondary schools in Rwanda. The purpose of this paper was to examine the influence of school fees as an aspect of education cost on students’ completion in public boarding secondary schools in Rwanda. The study was guided by human capital theory. The study used a correlational research design, and all 10 public boarding secondary schools in the Kicukiro and Ruhango districts were visited. The sample size constituted all 10 school head teachers, 2 District Education Officers, 252 students, and 126 households’ representatives sampled using Yamane formulae. The data was collected from school head teachers, District Education Officers, and households using an interview guide and from students using questionnaires. The data was analyzed using descriptive statistics such as percentages, means, and standard deviation, as well as inferential statistics like correlation and chi-square. Through data analysis, the study established that the cost of uniforms for upper secondary school is 12.6% higher than that of lower secondary schools. It found that the students of lower secondary pay an average of 87,666 Rwandan francs, and students of upper secondary pay an average of 112,923 Rwandan francs. Through the Chi-Square test, it also indicated that there is an association between school fees and students’ completion in boarding secondary schools. It also found that education at public boarding secondary schools in urban areas of Rwanda is more costly than in rural areas, as there is a 2.86% difference in school fees. It confirmed that only 23% of students from households with low socioeconomic status were able to pay the school fees. It established that there is a weak positive correlation between school fees and socioeconomic status in public boarding secondary schools. The results lead to a recommendation that the government should increase its contribution to boarding secondary schools to increase the students’ participation in schooling and reduce the burden of household education costs. In terms of policy implications to put in place, there is a need to expand secondary school scholarship and bursary schemes, especially for girls, rural students, and children from disadvantaged backgrounds, to increase completion by reducing household financial stress.

Dimensions

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