Abstract:
The basic education in the Mozambique Education System continues to record many school
dropouts on the part of girls especially in rural areas. These school dropouts are a confirmation
that the basic education still faces many weaknesses and that the challenges to stop this
phenomena that increases the levels of illiteracy are even greater. Despite efforts by the
government to ensure the retention and not school dropout for girls, the socioeconomic, cultural
and other factors exert a counter-force. Thus, the role of school leadership in the reduction of
school dropout is crucial. The present study analyses the influence of school leadership in
retention and continuation of the studies of girls at Complete Primary Schools (EPC) of
Chirrindzene and Chiconela in Xai-Xai, Gaza province, with the following research question: to
what extent the school leadership influences the retention and continuation of the studies of girls
at Complete Primary Schools of Chirrindzene and Chiconela? This research in the form of a case
study, is predominantly qualitative (interviews and observations) and complemented by a
quantitative method (questionnaires) came to the conclusion that in both schools under this
study, the leadership influences the retention of girls and continuation of their studies. However,
it is necessary to have a multidisciplinary approach and comprehensive retention policies and
their implementation in order to protect the girl, especially in rural areas from the harmful effects
of the condition of extreme poverty in which they live, finding ways to motivate and keep them
in the educational system.
