School-Based Mentoring Programmes and Dropout Reduction in Rural Kenya: A Five-Year Comparative Study

School dropout rates remain a significant challenge in rural Kenya, affecting educational attainment and long-term socioeconomic outcomes. A comparative study design was employed, with data collected through surveys, interviews, and academic records from three randomly selected primary schools in rural Kenya. The mentoring programme significantly reduced the dropout rate by 20% compared to non-participating schools (n = 150 vs. n = 180), highlighting its potential as an effective intervention. School-based mentoring programmes appear to be a promising strategy for addressing high dropout rates in rural Kenyan primary education settings. The findings suggest that scaling up and standardising school-based mentoring programmes could further enhance educational outcomes in rural Kenya. Mentoring Programmes, Dropout Prevention, Rural Education, Primary Schools