School-Based Enforcement of Child Rights and Students’ Retention in Government-Aided Secondary Schools in Kalungu District, Uganda

The investigation inspected the influence of school-based enforcement of child rights on students’ retention in government-aided secondary schools under Kalungu District, Uganda. Specific objectives included; i) To examine the influence of child protection policies on students’ retention, ii) To examine the influence of safe school environment on students’ retention, and iii) To examine the influence of child participation structures on students’ retention in government-aided secondary schools in Kalungu District, Uganda. A research design for cross-section was adopted joined with a quantifiable methodology. This investigation looked at 45 respondents’ sample which constituted of teachers, deans of studies, and head teachers from the 2 designated government run secondary educational institutions under Kalungu District. This study utilized regression analysis tactics for linear and descriptive when studying the data generated. The investigation revealed that child protection policies possessed an optimistic and substantial influence on students’ retention in secondary school that receive government aid under Uganda’s Kalungu District. The investigation also revealed that safe school environment has an optimistic and significant influence on students’ retention in secondary schools receiving government aid under Uganda’s Kalungu District. More so, this investigation revealed that child participation structures possess an optimistic and substantial influence on students’ retention in secondary schools receiving government aid under Uganda’s Kalungu District. The investigation concludes that school-based enforcement of child rights significantly influences students’ retention in secondary schools receiving government aid under Uganda’s Kalungu District, whereby effectiveness under child protection policies, safe school environment, and child participation structures resultantly leads to improved students’ retention under government-aided secondary institutions under Uganda’s Kalungu District. The investigation commends that schools ought to create a safe and protective school environment with established clear child protection policies as well as enforce zero tolerance for violence, bullying, and abuse, that would have a major impact on raising student retention in Ugandan government-run secondary education institutions in Kalungu District.