Rubirizi – Officials have warned parents against withdrawing underage children from school for early marriage, citing the practice as a key driver of dropout rates and a violation of children’s rights.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!The warning was issued during a general meeting at Butoha Primary School in Rubirizi District on Tuesday, April 21, 2026, attended by district education officials and other relevant authorities.
The Rubirizi District Inspector of Schools, Elisamu Sabit, cautioned that any parent found forcing an underage child into early marriage faces arrest, confirming reported multiple complaints about the illegal practice.
He charged parents to take education seriously as a major investment rather than just a source of income, emphasizing that children must remain in school to become productive citizens.
“Any parent who removes a child from school for early marriage will be arrested. We have received too many complaints about underage marriages, and this practice must end now,” warned Sabit.
The inspector further urged parents and teachers to reduce harshness when disciplining learners, noting that three forms of violence, emotional, physical, and sexual, are crippling education in Rubirizi.
Butoha Primary School Headteacher Fokushaba Stivin noted that the meeting was organized to celebrate last year’s academic achievements while addressing ongoing challenges.
He listed school dropouts, lateness, non-payment of fees, child labor, parental discouragement of young learners, lack of scholastic materials, insufficient furniture, and inadequate classroom buildings as major obstacles.
“Parents must support the school through community work to ensure their children get an education. Our school currently has over 800 pupils, meaning parents must actively participate in running school activities,” Fokushaba said.
He emphasized that education is now an investment and a tool for transforming households, urging parents to understand their responsibilities and pursue clear educational goals for their children.
School dropout remains a major challenge nationwide, with girls’ dropout rates higher than boys’, stemming from a range of family challenges including alcoholism, poverty, illiteracy, and early marriages.
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