Family, individual, community and school profile analysis of learners at risk of dropping out in Cebu

Abstract

Dropping out, an essential indicator to the schools’ performance, is a serious educational problem all over the world. Thus, an investigation on the possible contribution of Family, Individual, Community and School (FICS) related factors to a Learner at Risk of Dropping out (LARDO) was done to aid identification and immediate remediation of Junior High School Learners in a Division in Cebu, Philippines for the School Year 2016-2017. Logistic regression analysis was performed to create a model to predict the probability of being a learner at risk. It showed increase of prediction power from 50% to 88% as the independent variables were entered. The following variables were found significant: (a) gender; (b) deceased father; (c) cyber situation; (d) broken family; (e) inferiority complex; (f) child labor; and (g) lack of community support. Disturbing gender equity issues were evident in the results with increased likelihood for male students of being a LARDO. An intervention plan was crafted to assist schools in the implementation of the Drop Out Reduction Program (DORP). Salient features of the intervention program included the establishment of official forms for tracking LARDOs, a LARDO tendency worksheet based on the model and the establishment of policies that will strengthen LARDO early warning systems. Level of identification was also found to be at minimal in some schools which indicated difficulty of identification needing pertinent training in the intervention program. The results have important implications in the multi-dimensional nature of the dropout problem. The scope of its complexity extends beyond the established school systems. Hence, a multi-dimensional approach should be adapted.