Female students have expressed appreciation for the ‘Keep Girls At School’ (KGAS) project for empowering them toward self-reliance and reducing rate of school dropout among girls.

The students were on Tuesday speaking at the closing of dissemination of the KGAS project in Huye District, Southern Province.

Research carried out by Care International in Southern Province in 2013 showed that 18 per cent of female students dropped out of lower secondary school due to socio-economic problems.

"Girls no longer carry unwanted pregnancies because they are getting enough advice in the clubs. The mentorship is helping us be protected from dropping out of school. If one of our friends gets problems that could force them out of school, we sit as the club and decide to help them, Virginie Dusabimana, a student at Groupe Scolaire Runyinya in Rusenge Sector, Nyaruguru, said.

"KGAS made us embrace the culture of saving and having a clear objective. I got money from the club and bought two hens. They hatched and each has seven chickens. In addition, KGAS made us dare expressing our ideas in public,” Delphine Tuyizere, a student at Groupe Scolaire Runyinya, said.

Female students in 30 selected schools were saving between Rwf100 and Rwf400 and raised over Rwf10.8 million in savings.

They use the money to fulfil some of their needs and are advised to invest in profitable projects.

The goal of KGAS project was to reduce school dropout rate among girls through empowering female students socio-economically. It was piloted in 30 schools in Nyaruguru, Gisagara and Nyamagabe districts.

The goal is achieved through addressing girls’ socio–emotional and economic issues, increasing their participation through mentorship, financial education and score card model. It is implemented through mentorship, clubs of savings in schools and community score card strategies.

Chantal Ndagijimana, a teacher at Save Lower Secondary School in Gisagara District and one of the mentors, said KGAS helped teachers understand their responsibilities toward a female student.

"Before, we thought that the responsibility of a teacher is to provide knowledge to a student in class. But we have since realised that there are other socio-emotional knowledge that a teacher owes a student, mainly female one, to foster their learning by addressing issues that would otherwise hinder their education,” she said.

Florence Musabe, the head teacher of Groupe Scolaire Runyinya, said through community score card, KGAS project helped students discuss issues of concern in their education and made them dare expose what is not going well at school.

"After exposing the issues, the school and students sit together and mull ways such issues can get solved so that learning go smoothly,” she said.

The coordinator of KGAS project, Jean Claude Kayigamba, said the programme has promoted a savings culture and self-reliance among female students and is expected to reduce school dropout.

Lydia Mitali, the in-charge of female education in the Ministry of Education (Mineduc), said the KGAS project is in line with the government’s programme to promote female education.

"The project ensures that girls complete their studies, become self-reliant, confident and have leadership character from early age,” she said.

Mitali advised girls to be contented with what their parents can afford and avoid lusting after other people’s possessions because it can lead them into temptations.

KGAS project comprises 239 clubs created between the 30 selected schools. Each club has a trained mentor to facilitate operations.

The project, run by Care International and funded by DFID, is among the 26 innovative projects in education under Mineduc and Innovation for Education.

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