For years, Teacher Akinyi watched girls disappear from her classroom, some because of pregnancy or early marriage, others because they left school to look for work or school fees. Often, she and her colleagues only realized that a girl was in serious difficulty after she had already dropped out. By then, the barriers to returning were much harder to overcome.

Through EEO’s efforts to strengthen referral pathways linking families, schools, health facilities, and protection services, Teacher Akinyi and her colleagues learned to recognize early warning signs. These included frequent or unexplained absences, sudden changes in behaviour, declining participation, signs of distress, and reports of relationships that could place girls at risk. Instead of waiting for a crisis, teachers could now raise concerns early and connect girls and their families with the right support.

Angino Mixed Senior School began holding regular discussions with parents, mentors, and community volunteers to review the needs of learners at risk. Together, they explored the reasons behind absenteeism and identified appropriate responses. Depending on each girl’s circumstances, support could include counselling, family mediation, assistance with school-related costs, referral to health or protection services, and continued follow-up.

This coordinated approach has helped shift the school’s response from reacting to dropout to preventing it. Girls who might once have left school are receiving timely support to remain enrolled, continue their education, and pursue their aspirations. The process has also strengthened collaboration among teachers, families, community members, and service providers, ensuring that responsibility for girls’ education does not rest with schools alone.

“Now we act before it is too late. We do not wait until a girl is gone. We work together to keep her in school.”
— Teacher Akinyi, Angino Mixed Senior School