Pathways, consequences, and community-proposed responses to school discontinuation in rural eastern Uganda: a
Yang Jae Lee1,2,3, Matthew D Edwards4, Anne C Carrier5
1Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA.
Background:
Education is a social determinant of health, and incomplete schooling is associated with poorer sexual and reproductive health, psychosocial distress, and reduced economic opportunity. In Africa, many young people leave school before completing their educational cycle, yet qualitative evidence on the social and health consequences of discontinuation and on what affected communities view as appropriate responses remains limited.
Objective:
To explore perspectives on the pathways, consequences, and proposed responses to school discontinuation in rural eastern Uganda.
Methods:
This qualitative descriptive study drew on 59 in-depth interviews with young adults who had discontinued school (n = 15), family members (n = 14), teachers (n = 15), and community leaders (n = 15), purposively sampled with community assistance in Buyende and Kamuli districts in eastern Uganda. Data were analyzed using framework analysis.
Results:
Three themes emerged. First, participants described discontinuation as driven by intersecting household poverty, school-level barriers, and gendered pressures including early marriage, teenage pregnancy, and sexual exploitation. Second, discontinuation was followed by psychological distress, social stigma, economic marginalization, and heightened vulnerability, particularly for young women. Third, participants proposed complementary supports spanning counseling and mentorship, vocational training and economic empowerment, and interpersonal and community-based engagement.
Conclusions:
School discontinuation in rural eastern Uganda is experienced as a cumulative process with cascading social, psychological, and economic consequences rather than a single educational event. Community members identified multi-domain responses addressing emotional recovery, livelihoods, and social reintegration together. These findings highlight the value of centering community perspectives when designing integrated interventions for young people affected by school discontinuation.
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