Understanding the Experiences of Dropouts During COVID-19 Pandemic School Closure: A Qualitative Study

Abstract

This study explores the teaching learning experiences of school dropouts during pandemic school closure as well as the factors that influenced them to leave the school. The factors affecting dropouts during pandemic school closure were rarely studied in Bhutan. This study employed phenomenology as its method. A total participants of 12 dropouts of the year 2020, four parents, four teachers and four school principals were selected through purposive and snowball sampling. The data was collected with semi-structured interviews consisting of four research questions. The collected interview data was transcribed and analyzed by following Braun and Clarke’s (2006) six-step framework. The findings demonstrate that abrupt school closures necessitated the use of online learning as a means of ensuring that education continued. However, there were concerns about student participation in online learning using digital platforms due to students’ socioeconomic and technological challenges. These challenges were found to have been the cause of their dropping out of the schools. Students’ socioeconomic background of their parents compelled them to provide support to their parents in the socioeconomic activities, thus, impacting their participation in the regular academic activities. According to the interview, variables that contributed to dropouts included socioeconomic issues, unfinished assignments, difficulties understanding lessons, lack of enthusiasm, a lack of smartphones and poor internet connectivity, pregnancy, and relationships. The study also identified online teaching pedagogy employed by the teachers as a significant contributor to student attrition. Though the study is limited to a district, the findings recommend the need to improve technological access, provide digital equipment and reasonably priced internet to underprivileged students and provide professional development programs for teachers on technical skills to improve their competency in using online apps for effective online teaching.