Social Work Interventions in Managing School Dropout Among Girls in Niger State, North Central Nigeria

Female school dropout represents a persistent barrier to gender equity and social development in Nigeria, with structural and cultural factors disproportionately interrupting girls' educational trajectories. This study examines social work interventions in managing school dropout among girls in Niger State, focusing on communities in Minna and Suleja local government areas. A descriptive survey approach is adopted, with data collected from 100 respondents including schoolgirls, parents, teachers, and social workers through structured questionnaires. Frequencies and percentages are used in data analysis. The study identifies poverty, early marriage, domestic work burdens, teenage pregnancy, and long distances to school as the primary reasons for female school dropout in the study communities. Social work interventions encountered in the field include advocacy for school retention, counselling for pregnant girls, and referrals to bursary and scholarship programmes. However, these interventions are described as irregular and lacking systematic follow-up. Recommendations include deploying social workers as school welfare officers in secondary schools, strengthening enforcement of the Child Rights Act provisions on girls' education, providing conditional financial support to girls from low-income households, and engaging community and religious leaders in changing cultural norms that prioritise marriage over education. Keywords: school dropout, girls' education, social work intervention, Niger State, gender equity