ABSTRACT This study aimed at establishing the social-economic status and school dropouts of girls in secondary education. The study was conducted from five selected secondary schools in Arapai Sub County in Soroti district. The study adopted a descriptive survey research design on which both qualitative and quantitative methods were used. The study consisted of ninety respondents, composed of five head teachers, twenty- five teachers’ fifty students and ten parents. The study used self- administered questionnaire and an interview guide as the data collection instruments. A review of the relevant written documents was also made to supplement the secondary data. The data collected was presented in counts, a bar graph, a pie chart and score tables Interpretations and conclusions were made according to the frequency of responses. The findings revealed that there were varying socio-economic factors as well as environmental that compelled girls to drop out of school at an early age. The major socio-economic factor accounting for the school dropout of girls in secondary schools was poverty manifested by; the parents’ inability to pay fees and to provide scholastic materials to their children and early marriages. This is worsened by the preference of boys to girls. The main environmental factors were poor school sanitation and lack of privacy. It was recommended from the study findings that; the government should provide scholastic materials to children from very poor families and set laws against parents who are reluctant to educate their children. The government together with the school administrations should also ensure a safe and clean environment at schools and sensitize the masses about the need to educate the girl child. Finally, areas for further research were suggested as; causes of high rates of female school drop outs, the parents attitudes towards the girl child education and the possible policy alternative that can improve on girls’ education in Arapai sub County Soroti District.
