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ASEAN DROPOUT RATE: A TREND STUDY

Rolando R. Arañez , Catherine L. Averilla , Jennifer H. Cadavez, and Rocelle J. Ranario

Master of Arts in Education – Science Education

Master of Arts in Education – Home Economics
Master of Arts in Education – Early Childhood Education
Cebu Normal University
Cebu City, Philippines

ABSTRACT

Education is the most important tool for a person to be successful. This will guarantee his/her
future not only for a short span of time but as well as for lifelong development. This will guarantee that
he/she will be able to land a job in whatever disciplines they have chosen which promotes independence
and a sense of fulfillment. Additionally, this prepares the individual in facing the developing economy and
makes him/her competitive enough. This study focuses mainly on the trend of dropout rate among five
ASEAN nations in the last 20 years particularly between 1990 and 2010. The GDP of the country is also
a determining factor for its ability to spend for several sectors and this study will shed light on the trend of
dropout rate based on the nation’s expenditure for the educational sector.

Keywords: ASEAN Dropout rate, Philippine dropout rate, theories on dropping out, determinants to
dropping out, government, DepEd, CHED, Singapore.

INTRODUCTION AND PROBLEM DEFINITION

The Philippines was once considered to be one of the most literate countries in Asia during the
Marcos regime. Belonging to the third world country, we still boast ourselves with pride in such a way that
we send countless, or thousands of overseas Filipino workers which is a manifestation that we have a
strong number of literate individuals compared to other Asian nations. In this context, we can also say
that our country not only spearheads the stronghold of educated individuals but also has a strong number
of potential leaders of the country.

The irony of this is that, our country belongs to the Third World, the kind of countries considered
to be the next tiger economy like other neighboring ASEAN countries. This is marred by severe or
massive dropout rates over the last two decades. With the advent of BPO industries opened in major
regions in the country, such as Makati, Baguio, Cebu, Bacolod and Davao, this not only guarantees an
individual to land a job if he/she is within college level. Additionally, we are the country the sends
overseas Filipino workers the most compared to that our neighboring Asian countries.

The researchers however, would like to dig further on the ASEAN Dropout Rates in the last two
decades and see possible scenarios, or reasons as well as effects on such phenomena. Also, the
researchers would like to observe the trends and compare/contrast the dips of the dropout rates in the
last two decades if data are available.
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LITERATURES CITED

Attribution theory is now ending its third decade a dominant conception in motivation, social
psychology, and educational psychology. To survive this length of time indicates that it is not only has
had strong empirical support, but also that it has been responsive to empirical challenges and has
changed in order to meet objections and problems. (Weiner, 2000)

This study is focused mainly on the trend of dropout rates in ASEAN countries. Because dropping
out is influenced by both individual and institutional factors, intervention strategies can focus on either or
both sets of factors. That is, intervention strategies can focus on addressing the individual values,
attitudes, and behaviors that are associated with dropping out without attempting to alter the
characteristics of families, schools, and communities that may contribute to those individual factors. Many
dropout prevention programs pursue such programmatic strategies by providing would-be dropouts with
additional resources and supports to help them stay in school. (Rumberger, 2001).

Governments in many developing countries adopted the conditional cash transfer (CCT) scheme
at a prodigious rate to alleviate short-term poverty and reduce the intergenerational transmission of
poverty. (Agbon, et. al. 2013).

Recent concern for dropouts is also fueled by a number of economic, demographic, and
educational trends that could exacerbate this problem in the future. One trend is economic: as ASEAN
nations’ economy moves toward a higher skilled labor force, high school dropouts will have an even
harder time surviving economically (Murnane & Levy, 1996) as there will be lesser establishments
accepting high school level applicants.

A second trend is demographic: the number of students who are generally at greater risk of
school failures students from poor and low-income households, racial, ethnic, and linguistic minorities are
increasing in the nation’s schools (Levin, 1986; Natriello et al., 1990).

The third trend is the growing push for accountability in the nation’s public schools that has
produced policies to end social promotion and to institute high school exit exams, both of which could
increase the number of students who fail to complete high school (Heubert & Hauser, 1999)

There are many barriers to educational opportunities for minority students among which a major
one is related to the affordability of higher education. (Long & Riley, 2007). Research on dropping out of
school has focused on characteristics of the individual or institution that correlate with the dropout
decision. Many of these characteristics are non-manipulable, and all are measured at one point in time,
late in the youngster’s school career. (Finn, 1989)

ASEAN has focused their attention much on education sector. Mainly, they aim to achieve
productivity in work force and skilled labors in targeting the economic indicators of the region. Some
countries in the region experience the imbalance between the skilled labors they produced through their
education system and with the development of the industry sector (Plan, 2013).
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CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK

GDP

INFRASTRUCTURE EDUCATION HUMAN HEALTH SECURITY

RESOURCES

RESOURCE

TEACHER’S
FACILITIES
SALARY

DROPOUT
RATE

Rajkumar [Link] (2008) inferred that increasing public spending on primary education is likely to
be more effective in increasing primary education attainment in a country with good governance. A
nation’s GDP plays an important role in deriving financial assistance in different sectors. Whether or not
a nation’s political system is corrupt, so long as the expenditure for the educational sector is provided in a
substantial amount, the latter will be able to main a high quality education. Furthermore, if the
expenditure of a nature is put on a good standing for the education sector, it does not only enhance the
infrastructures such as building of schools and other important facilities but as well as providing a very
pleasant working experience for teachers as they will also be given with good salaries.

METHODOLOGY

This study utilizes the data mining technique as well as quantitative analyses. Data has been
obtained from different sources over the Internet particularly the WorldBank website, Asian Development
Bank and among others (please refer to the links on the last page of this paper).
This study also anchors mainly on the trend of dropout rates among five top ASEAN countries
with respect to their GDP and expenditures towards the education sector and this compare and contrast
each country’s expenditure on the education sector through quantitative analyses. Graphs and tables are
presented as well as their respective interpretation to concretize the figures including its implications.
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TABLES AND GRAPHS

Table 1: GDP of six ASEAN countries from 1990 – 2010

Table 1 presents the GDP of six ASEAN countries over the last 20 year cycle from 1990 to 2010.
For a period of ten years in the first decade that the data was gathered, both Malaysia and Thailand hit
the highest percentage mark for its GDP which is at 36.3. This was then followed by Singapore at 33.8%
then Indonesia at 27.8%, Vietnam at 23.7% and Philippines at 22.7%. In the following decade (2000 -
2012), all six countries have suffered greatly on their GDP, however, of all the countries shown, only
Vietnam showed a sudden spike of its GDP which is at 35.8% in average for the ten year period. This
was then followed by Thailand at 25.9%, then Indonesia at 25.0%, Singapore at 24.0%, Malaysia at
23.0% and lastly, the Philippines at 20.2%

The figures above implies that the GDP of each ASEAN countries over the last two decades
shows a significant drop most likely due to the inflation that occurred between the years 2005 and 2006.
The GDP plays an important role in ensuring the country’s economic strength as this will also be the
source of the country’s budget in yearly bases.

Table 2: National Government Expenditures for Education Sector derived from GDP

Table 2 shows five ASEAN countries are being presented in terms of their National Government
expenditures for Education which is derived from their GDP (Gross Domestic Product). Malaysia hit the
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record high at 7.5% of their GDP for education sector expenditures in 2002. This was followed by
Singapore and Thailand of the same year which both countries used 4% of their GDP for school
expenditures. Indonesia however, was at the bottom of the same year which used only 0.5% of their
GDP for education sector expenditures. On the same year, the Philippines spent only 3% of its GDP in
education sector expenditure.

The graph implies that the GDP of a certain country has a huge role in deriving funds for each
sector. If a country takes a chunk of its GDP and be spent on the education sector particularly for
facilities as well as the teaching work force, this also means that it will not only enhance the quality of
education but as well as encourage the learner to pursue in education.

As cited by Weiner, there are two related attribution theories of motivations that can be examined.
One, an intrapersonal theory, includes self – directed thoughts, (particularly expectancy of success) and
self – directed emotions (pride, guilt, and shame). The second is an interpersonal theory and includes
beliefs about the responsibility of others and other directed affects of anger and sympathy. These two
theories are respectively guided by the disparate metaphors of the person as a scientist and the person
as a judge. Some experimental evidence supporting the conceptions and the range of phenomena that
they incorporate are examined.

Table 2: Cumulative Dropout rate to the last grade of Primary education among five Asian countries

In 2005 - 2006 however, four of the ASEAN countries hit a record low in national government
expenditures from their GDP for education sector. Although these countries hit a record low in the
expenditures for education sector from their GDP, Malaysia was still able to utilize 5%, followed by
Thailand which is a 3.8% and 3.2% from Singapore. There was no data found for Indonesia. The
Philippines went even lower on that year which was at 2.5% for 2005 as well as in 2006. Both Thailand
and Singapore still went down on 2006 in terms of their Expenditures in the Education Sector from their
GDP, 3.5% and 3% respectively. Malaysia was able to bounce back in 2006 went a little higher in their
expenditures for the education sector in 2006, prior that, they were at 5% which rose a year after at 5.4%.

We can also infer that between 2005 and 2006, ASEAN countries generally had suffered an
inflation rate which would mean that the country will also have to focus on its economy to suffice the
financial loss, thus making use of the part of its budget in its GDP instead of utilizing it to the education
sector. Rumberger (1987) further added that dropouts cost the nation money in other ways as well.
Research demonstrates that dropouts are also more likely to have health problems, engage in criminal
activities, and become dependent on welfare and other government programs than high school
graduates.
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INTERPRETATION

Based on the data presented, it appears that as a nation’s GDP is at high and as the country
focuses part of its expenditures to the education sector, there is a relative effect on the dropout rate in
school.

As cited by Baro [Link] (2001), student achievement can be influenced by resources available to
the students in schools. These resources can be measured by various indicators, such as pupil - teacher
ratios, expenditures per pupil, teacher salary and education level, availability of teaching materials, and
so on. Psacharopoulos (1985) also added that teachers in large classes tend to focus more on rote
learning rather than on problem - solving skills.

A teacher's salary and education level would be indicators of a teacher's quality. Higher salaries
attract more qualified and productive teachers who can contribute more effectively to student's
achievement. (Baro, et. al. 2001), as cited by Baro (2001), several studies show that teacher quality has a
strong effect on student achievement. (Behrman, [Link]. 1983) and (Card, et. al. 1992)

CONCLUSION

As the study concludes, we therefore can infer that the GDP of a country will determine its
economic strength as well as its ability to take a chunk of its annual earnings for spending in the
education sector. This does not only mean that the budget will have to be used on the infrastructure but
as well as needed paraphernalia in effective teaching. This also upholds the morale of teachers as higher
expenditures on the education sector will also mean higher teacher salary.
Furthermore, as the expenditure is focused on the Education sector, this will also encourage the
students to get back to school and will eventually allow the student to finish their studies.

RECOMMENDATIONS:

1. Based on the study, it is recommended that the government should focus as well on the
expenditures for the education sector derived from its annual GDP.

2. Strategic planning should also be conducted in terms of the most needed areas in the
education sector such as building more classrooms, providing ample school materials among
others to enhance quality teaching.

3. As there is an influx of students every year, the ratio and proportion of teachers must also be
managed so as to avoid overcrowding, thus hiring of teachers per area of responsibility must
be considered and the recruitment process must not be as challenging as possible.

4. During project implementation, an immediate monitoring system must also be devised to

ensure proper distribution of funds and other facilities. This will ensure that in the event that
there are issues, it can be addressed right away thus avoiding future unnecessary expenses.

5. Facilities must also be developed within the short span of time. Materials are needed to
reinforce and enhance certain theories or concepts especially in Science and Math and
among other technical subjects which would promote lifelong learning and will not only be
kept within the confines of the classroom.
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INTERNET SITES

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