Student Retention and Academic Achievement among Secondary School Students in Kibaha District Tanzania

Abstract

This study examined the relationship between student retention and academic achievement in selected secondary schools in Kibaha District, Tanzania. Guided by a gender socialisation perspective, the study employed a convergent mixed-methods design. The analytical sample comprised 50 participants: 40 students who completed questionnaires, eight teachers, and two heads of school who participated in semi-structured interviews. Documentary review covered records of 794 students in two schools. Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics and Pearson correlation, while qualitative data were analysed thematically. School records indicated that 756 students remained enrolled, yielding a retention rate of 95.2%; the reported mean examination score was 66.6%. Students expressed strong agreement that attendance supports learning, with the highest item mean recorded for the statement that frequent absence lowers academic performance (M = 4.63, SD = 0.67). Questionnaire-based retention and achievement scores were positively associated (r = .671, p < .001; n = 40). Interview participants linked regular attendance to continuity of instruction and described learning gaps and disengagement associated with absenteeism. They identified attendance monitoring, counselling, parental engagement, and remedial instruction as relevant support practices. The findings suggest that sustained educational participation and academic outcomes are related, although the design does not establish causation. Schools should coordinate attendance monitoring with learning support and evaluate these practices within their local contexts.