Information reaching The Chronicle the indicates that 7,256 girls, representing 33.69 percent from six districts in the Eastern Region, dropped out of basic school between the 2010 and 2012 academic years.

The districts are Ayensuano, Upper Manya, Birim North, Upper West Akim, and Kwahu Afram Plains North and South.

According to statistics available, of the 21,537 girls who enrolled in Junior High School 1 (JHS) in 2010, only 14,281 sat for the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) in 2012, with the 7,256 becoming dropouts in the six districts.

Though the Regional Coordinator in-charge of the Girl-Child Education Unit, Mrs. Cynthia Anim, was not able to provide adequate reasons for the massive dropout, available records to The Chronicle revealed that lack of parental guidance, poverty, and teachers not creating enabling environments, were some of the factors responsible.

Notwithstanding, teenage pregnancy was a major factor, following the 2014 Regional Report from the Ghana Health Service (GHS) indicating that 13,520 girls, between the ages of 12-15, were pregnant across the region.