SCHOOL DROP OUT

SCHOOL DROP OUT AND ASSOCIATED THEORIES

 A school dropout is an individual who does not complete a given cycle of education e.g.

100 (One hundred) pupils in P.1 in 2001 and by the time they reach P.7 they are only 60

(sixty) our concern is the forty who have not reached P.7. Dropping out is a voluntary

activity and the background of students plays a great role. We have girls dropping out of

school more than boys and particularly because of social economic status.

 The rate of school drop outs in many schools across the country remain high and thus

reforms to reduce the dropout of school have become a competing policy priority for

school personnel, managers, teachers, support staff etc.

 Community members, politicians, academicians or researchers acknowledge the fact that

dropping out of school is closely related to the individual learner or the society at large.

When large numbers of students fail to complete their studies, it is wastage of resources

on the side of the government.

 Current research on dropout problem has been focused on the students and argument is

that because of their behaviors. However, of late researchers have focused on the issue of

drop out and their argument is that institutions of learning are partly responsible for

students’ failure to accomplish or complete their studies. They base their argument on

the relationship among themselves, teaching methods used, school rules and regulations,

punishments given and the general school environment.

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 Theories have been advanced in regard to dropout of students and these include the

following.

1. Academic performance theory

 The theory states that the dropping out of school is a result of poor performance. Poor

performance has negative, social and psychological consequences on the students and it

makes them dislike school.

 Such students after they dropout develop a feeling of helplessness with no self-

confidence. This is against the fact that adolescents always seek approval, recognition

and acceptance from their peers and always strive to gain status through those activities.

When they can’t do much about their poor grades, they look at school as the waste of

time. They socially feel out of place and can’t do much as compared to others who do

well.

 This is worsened by our school situations today, where in most schools physical and

material conditions for learning are discouraging, the learning materials are inadequate

and the curriculum is not related to everyday life of the student.

 In addition the unsympathetic teachers make it worse, they are critical of the poor grades

and in some schools poor performance are subjected to corporal punishments, this

destroys the moral and is likely to influence the students’ educational plans, such students

start absenting themselves from class and finally drop out of schools. For these reasons

some scholars thus accuse schools of chasing students out of their system.

2. Social disability

 The theory assumes that a number of social and personal factors contribute to school

dropout. It states that individuals who drop out of school are misfits thus dropping out of

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 school is a consequence of not making their personal and social adjustments expected of

them at school. The social adjustments are a reflection of the social back ground of the

individual and failure to adjust in life may result in dropping out of school.

 The social misfits are the people who do not conform to social norms or do not adjust to

situations in their life. Such students who fail to adjust in life experience are detached

from others and they also have unstable peer relationships with others. Those factors lead

to isolation in class and the students feel that they cannot fit thus feel that the best option

is to drop out.

 People of high social economic status in most cases prepare their children in a conducive

environment for school work and such children come to like school activities. On the

other hand children brought up in low social-economic status in most cases have feelings

of insecurity and they are constantly finding means of surviving. In the low social-

economic status family, emphasis is on the immediate survival of the family e.g. baby-

sitting, selling commodities alongside the road, looking after cows etc. to supplement the

income of the other economic activities.

3. Accelerated role transition theory

 This theory assumes that the life cycle of an individual consists of series of events

governed by the social-biological time table e.g. from infancy to childhood, childhood to

adolescent to adulthood, adulthood to middle age and middle age to adult age. Along this

line there are key works or events that must be performed by an individual e.g. going to

school, leaving school getting married, producing children, getting employed, leaving the

home of parents and establishing an independent home. This varies from individual to

individual.

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  However there are people who do not follow the social-biological timetable e.g. some

may get married in S.2 and this makes a student unfit for the school system due to

divided loyalties of being a parent at the same time a student. Such a student cannot

achieve both because of the multiplicity of roles that come by virtue of their

responsibilities. Sometimes society can also free girls to get married in order to get

money especially in poor girls hence forcing them out of school.

4. Labeling Theory

 It explains dropout as a result of stigmatization and negative labeling by teachers or

peers. Students labeled as "troublemakers" or "low achievers" internalize these identities

thus disengaging from school.

CAUSES OF SCHOOL DROPOUT

School dropout is a complex issue caused by a combination of factors ranging from individual,

family, societal and institutional factors. The following include the primary causes of school

dropout:

 Poor academic performance leads to dropout as students struggling with schoolwork or

failing exams can lead to disengagement and dropout.

 Lack of motivation among students’ leads to dropout as the students who do not see the

value of education or have unclear career goals may lose interest.

 Behavioral issues including chronic absenteeism, unpunctuality, or disciplinary problems

can lead to expulsion or self-withdrawal.

 Health challenges such as chronic illness, mental health issues or disabilities can hinder

regular attendance and performance.

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 Families that are languishing in poverty, have financial hardships may prioritize work

over education, requiring children to drop out and contribute to household income by

doing small jobs.

 Low levels of parents’ education often correlate with less emphasis on the importance of

schooling so they do not see any value in educating their children as well.

 Problems in family such as domestic violence, divorce, death etc. can disrupt a child’s

ability to focus on education may lead to dropout.

 Cultural attitudes like early marriage, gender bias, or lack of emphasis on girls’ education

can lead to dropouts. There are some cultures that do not value education so they don’t

encourage their children to attend school.

 Poor school climate where there is bullying, discrimination, or lack of emotional support

from teachers and peers can alienate students leading to dropout.

 Increasing and high costs of education lead to dropout of learners especially those who

come from low social economic backgrounds. Even in free public schools, costs for

uniforms, books, and transport can be prohibitive for poor families.

 Economic pressures and hard ships where children from low-income families often drop

out to work or help at home.

 Inadequate teaching methods or unqualified teachers can result in poor academic

engagement making students dropout.

 Harsh discipline policies in schools like zero-tolerance and frequent suspensions push

students out rather than address underlying issues.

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 Limited attention to individual students due to overcrowded classroom settings reduce

engagement of learners and may feel that they are not getting enough thus may get

demoralized.

 Inadequate resources such as lack of learning materials, infrastructure, or extracurricular

activities discourage students from continuing leading to drop out.

 Early marriages and pregnancy forces girls to often drop out due to societal expectations

or the stigma of pregnancy.

 Gender bias in the education system where preference for boys' education in some

cultures leaves girls with fewer educational opportunities which make a big number of

the girls to drop out.

 Lack of easy access to schools lead to barriers to education that may lead to dropout.

Long distances to schools or unsafe routes deter attendance of learners.

 Negative peer pressure may force learners to dropout. Association with peers who have

dropped out or devalue education can lead to similar behavior.

 Limited special needs education services especially with students with learning

disabilities may lead to drop out due to insufficient accommodations.

WAYS OF REDUCING DROP OUTS

 The government should provide free or subsidized education to reduce financial burdens

on families by providing free tuition, textbooks and school supplies.

 In addition scholarships should be provided to offer financial support to students coming

from low-income households.

 School administrators should provide an inclusive atmosphere to all learners by

addressing bullying, discrimination and harassment to make schools welcoming.

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 Emphasis should be put on extracurricular activities like sports, arts and clubs to engage

students and promote a sense of belonging.

 Education institutions should put in place alternative education programs such as evening

or weekend classes, digital learning options for working students such that they have that

opportunity of continuing with their studies.

 Education institutions should offer career-oriented programs for students interested in

technical skills.

 Enforce child labor policies and laws to prevent child labor and support families

economically so children can focus on education.

 Parents should be educated on the long-term benefits of education such that they

encourage their children to stay in school.

 Guidance and counseling should be encouraged in all schools so as to offer emotional and

psychological support to students dealing with personal challenges which may lead to

dislike for school.

 There is need to improve security at school and it can be done by addressing factors or

issues that make students hate school such as teasing, bullying, corporal punishments etc.

 By organizing flexible programs so as to meet the needs of the students.

 Teachers should reduce on the punishments given at school because children may be

pushed out of the school system.

 We should devise teaching methods which are student friendly. There is need to

encourage learner centered methods of teaching.

 The government should put in place policies for economic growth for school leavers to

get jobs so that they do not look at school as a waste of time.

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 Schools should ensure adequate support for students with disabilities or learning

difficulties.

 The government should improve on proximity of schools by building more schools in

underserved areas to reduce travel distances.

 All stakeholders in education institutions should ensure that schools have proper

classrooms, sanitation facilities and access to clean water.

 The government should design courses that align with students’ interests, cultural

backgrounds and career goals to make learners see value in their education pursuits.

 Teachers should use interactive teaching methods like student-centered approaches to

make learning more enjoyable.

 Teacher training should be done to equip teachers with skills to manage diverse

classrooms and address student needs.

 The government should enforce compulsory education laws requiring children to stay in

school until a certain age.

 Teachers need to go in-service programs where they are exposed to new developments in

education and society at large. Through such, teachers can get update information on

teaching methods, emerging issues like drug abuse, sexual deviations, HIV/AIDS etc.

 Through improving on the relationship between educational institutions and the

community. This can be done by involving the community in the school activities.

END