Early School Leavers Research Articles

Una mirada al abandono escolar prematuro en Portugal: Realidades, contextos y prácticas

Teniendo in cuenta que el abandono prematuro de la escuela/ abandono prematuro de la educación y de la formación es un problema sumamente político, este articulo hace una mirada al abandono escolar prematuro en Portugal, enfocando sus realidades, contextos y prácticas, en una interacción entre el nivel nacional y europeo e sus orientaciones para la educación. Se hace una breve analice a los contornos del problema y a su evolución y se presenta a el sistema educativo para después se reflexionar acerca de la actual orientación educativa, dando evidencia a las perspectivas de inclusión. Finalmente se enfocan medidas intramuros para enfrentar el abandono escolar en una escuela secundaria superior en un área de intervención educativa prioritaria. Estas medidas son preventivas, y incluyen la preparación para los exámenes y el defensor del estudiante, a que se da prominencia en este artículo, haciendo el enfoque en las voces distintas del Diretor de la escuela, del profesorado y de las y los estudiantes. Se argumenta que la lucha contra ESL se encuentra en la tensión entre las políticas destinadas a hacer frente a las necesidades de la economía y de la sociedad del conocimiento y la tentativa de promover la inclusión social a través de la consecución de los itinerarios educativos, dando herramientas a las personas jóvenes para llevar adelante sus posibles opciones. Bearing in mind that early school leaving (ESL) / early leaving from education and training (ELET) is a political problem, this article looks at early school leaving in Portugal, focusing on its realities, contexts and practices and tapping into the interaction between the national and the European levels and their guidelines for education. The context of the problem and its evolution is briefly analyzed. Following the description of the education system, we also provide some reflections on current educational lines, providing evidence on how inclusion is implemented within such lines. Finally, intramural measures are proposed with a view to addressing early school leaving in an upper secondary school located in an educational area of priority intervention. The objective of the article is to analyze early school leaving by making the voices of different stakeholders heard—the school principal, teachers and students—following the implementation of a set of educational measures. These measures are preventive and include preparation for exams and the function of student advocates, two aspects which have a prominent role in this article. We argue that the struggle against ESL lies in the tension between economic policies and the knowledge society and the promotion of social inclusion which requires the definition of educational trajectories aimed at providing young people with the necessary tools for them to make adequate decisions for their future.

PROMOTION OF YOUTH INVOLVEMENT FOR EARLY SCHOOL LEAVING PREVENTION

Among the main challenges of contemporary education system are raising the motivation to study, strengthening the bond between the student and the school and prevention of early school leaving. In Latvia as well as in the rest of Europe the percentage of early school leavers still remains high. According to Eurostat data the percentage of students having left school early in Latvia reached 8% in 2018. Moreover the Baltic Social studies stated that altogether 26% of schools have faced the problem of early school leavers. Among the main factors reported as the reason for early school leaving are lack of motivation and risks related to school environment. Using the competency-based learning model new educational goals have been set, as follows, namely methodically moving towards the desired future profession, active involvement in the community, cooperation and developing of the feeling of patriotism. Lielvarde municipality in cooperation with the Ministry of Education and Science has launched a project aimed to gain a better understanding of students’ emotional and mental state, plans for the future as well as raising awareness of possible ways to get support during difficult times. The method used in the research were questionnaires. In the research there were involved students from all schools of Lielvārde district starting with age 13. The main goal of the research is to create a sustainable action plan, in order to gain more involvement from students. The results of research reveal students’ attitude towards studying, their future job options as well as the awareness of possibilities to use support systems in their lives.

Going Behind the High Rates of NEETs in Italy and Spain: The Role of Early School Leavers

This paper aims to analyse the determinants of the dynamics of those not in employment, education, or training (NEET) during 2007–2017, focusing primarily on the role played by early school leavers (ESLs). The analysis covers Italy and Spain, because they show the highest levels of NEETs and ESLs in the EU, respectively. The dynamics and causes of NEET status in these two countries are revealed to be similar only in appearance. After the analysis of the theoretical framework for the relationship between NEETs and ESLs, we investigate the NEET composition in terms of inactive and unemployed individuals, and empirically study the relationship between ESLs and NEETs both in terms of the interdependence and dependence of NEETs and ESLs. Furthermore, we study the contemporaneous relationship between NEET and ESL rates in Italy and Spain in terms of correlation. Finally, to understand how ESL status can lead to NEET status, we investigate the dynamic relationship between NEET and ESL rates based on simple regression models of NEET rates on lagged rates of ESLs, as well as on a time-varying correlation model. Results reveal, among other things, that Italy shows a greater ESL influence on NEET rates, especially for men. The main conclusion concerns the need to invest more in education and to adopt measures able to keep more young people in education for a prolonged period. Therefore, particularly in Italy, policymakers should pay more attention to the education system, including aspects linked to the labour market.

‘Who are you to know who I am?’ Comparing the experiences of youth at risk of dropping out in England, Denmark and Hungary

ABSTRACT Early School Leaving (ESL) as an important societal issue has been a matter of debate in policy making for 30 years. But the differences in students’ experiences have often been neglected, leading to a one-size fits all policy and pedagogical approach. This paper explores educational experiences of dropouts in England, Denmark and Hungary, and compares the measures related to ESL. Empirical data were collected from observations; a total of 28 interviews with students in three different country contexts. My original contribution to knowledge is that this study focused on students’ experiences in education and career trajectories with a comparative lens and was able to give a more distinct image of dropouts. The paper recommends that rigid education systems need to adopt more flexible methods and adaptive learning pathways to work with challenging youth. Transitions to secondary education should be supported by career practitioners to help students find suitable pathways.

Preventing of Early School Leaving:Sport as Protective Factor

Preventing of Early School Leaving:Sport as Protective Factor

The psychosocial wellbeing of orphans: The case of early school leavers in socially depressed environment in Mpumalanga Province, South Africa.

BackgroundThe emergence of a large population of orphaned youth in sub-Saharan Africa is due to the natural maturity of orphaned children. Research indicates that orphaned youth face more negative psychosocial challenges than their younger counterparts do. Furthermore, these challenges are intensified for early school leavers. This paper describes how experiencing maternal death affects the psychosocial wellbeing of orphaned youth who left school before completing high school.MethodsAn exploratory qualitative study was undertaken among purposively sampled orphaned youth using in-depth interviews with open-ended questions. Fifty participants were recruited through social workers, community based organisations, and tribal authorities in a rural local municipality of Mpumalanga Province, South Africa. All data analyses were performed using NVivo10, following an inductive thematic approach.ResultsThe narratives with the participants revealed that they live in a socially depressed environment and are subjected to extreme poverty characterised by frequent hunger. Furthermore, they do not enjoy family support and when they live with their extended families, they experience ill treatment and unsympathetic gestures. The death of their mothers has made a negative psychological impact on their psychosocial wellbeing, resulting in the development of internalising depressive symptoms. They suffer from emotional distress and prolonged bereavement characterised by perpetual yearning for the mother and, they resort to silence as a coping strategy. The study established that they were forced to leave school early for a variety of reasons. However, leaving school early became a major stressor and contributed to their negative psychosocial wellbeing.ConclusionMaternal death has a negative impact on the psychosocial wellbeing of the participants even after they have crossed the 18 years threshold of orphan hood. Yearning for their mothers negatively affected their ability to develop coping strategies, which led to isolation, sadness, hopelessness, lack of peace, and fear of an uncertain future. The lack of routine screening for mental health in schools and other settings in South Africa increases their vulnerability to undiagnosed depression. The school health services should develop interventions for mental health screening in schools. For early school leavers, relevant policies should consider the continuation of support through NGOs and community networks.

Conceptualization of the Premature School Exit Phenomenon in Mashonaland Region of Zimbabwe: The Voice of Early School Leavers

School dropout is a major cause of attrition in schools globally, and its implications could be far-reaching. Evidence from previous studies has shown that the voice of those who have lived experiences of the phenomenon is missing. The present study investigated early school leavers’ conceptualization of school dropout from a Zimbabwean perspective. Twenty-two early school leavers from three sites in Zimbabwe participated in the study. The data collection strategies included focus group discussions, interviews, and life-story narratives. The findings indicated the need for an expanded definition of school dropout that goes beyond physical withdrawal from school. School dropout was understood as a traumatic personal experience, with psychological implications. It entailed deprivation of a meaningful future, retrieval of painful memories of school life, and a reflection of unresolved inequity in the education system. School policies and practices in the Zimbabwean education system should, thus, be sensitive to equity needs and provide professional counselling support to those affected and their families. Furthermore, skilled and emotionally stable personnel should be responsible for the country’s education system and economy.

Education and the Determinants of Early School Leaving in Campania

Skills gaps between people and socio-economic groups persist over time and affect the future of generations.Social change sees the relationship between education as a dynamic process, linked to “life long learning” and equity (Lisbon Commision, 2020) and the concept of human capital.The analysis of such a correlation will be the subject of the study to highlight the reasons for early school leaving and the repercussions on the labour market in some disadvantaged territorial units of reference in Campania (Italy).This regional context is characterized by a higher incidence of poverty, poor school performance and a less favourable condition of young people in the labour market.The examination will focus on the northern suburbs of Naples.

Who is really ‘left behind’? Half a century of gender differences in the school-to-work transitions of low-educated youth

ABSTRACT At a time of growing expectations about educational attainment, young people who did not complete upper-secondary schooling can easily be ‘left behind’ to face risks of social exclusion. Being able to make a rapid and successful transition into a first significant job is crucial for long-term labor-market attachment. We approach the question of continuity or change in school-to-work transitions by comparing the experiences of four birth cohorts of early school leavers in Italy, where they still constitute a sizeable group as of today. Italy makes for an interesting case study due to the length of school-to-work transitions and the extent of gender differences in this phase. In an era of educational expansion and increased female activation, studying changes in low-educated women’s labor-market access brings into focus the question of who is really left behind. Using data from the 2009 ‘Multi-purpose Survey on Household and Social Subjects,’ we use discrete time logistic regression models to estimate the probability of transitioning to the first significant job for early school leavers born between 1954 and 1993. We find that gender differences are strikingly persistent across birth cohorts, even after controlling for sociodemographic variables as well as for time-varying fertility and partnership histories.

Early School Leaving by Nationality in Contemporary Greece Sociological Interpretations of Recent data

Early School Leaving by Nationality in Contemporary Greece Sociological Interpretations of Recent data

Quality education, social cohesion and active labour market policies. A case study from a Southern European island state

Societies can benefit from the delivery of inclusive education, lifelong learning as well as from active labour market policies. Therefore, this paper reviews the relevant literature on the provision of quality education for social cohesion. Afterwards, it analyses the latest socio-economic policies that are being implemented in the smallest European island state of Malta. The findings suggest that the Maltese Government's labour market policies are increasingly targeting vulnerable individuals who are not in employment, education or training, including women and migrant workers, among others. At the same time, the policy makers are striving in their endeavours to attract more students in higher and vocational education to reduce the number of early school leavers. In conclusion, this contribution implies that the pursuit towards continuous improvements in quality education and in social cohesion can create a virtuous cycle of productivity outcomes, including job creation and societal well-being.

Abstracts of English Language Theses on Algeria

The Maghreb Review, Vol. 45, 2, 2020 © The Maghreb Review 2020 This publication is printed on FSC Mix paper from responsible sources ABSTRACTS OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE THESES ON ALGERIA CURATED AND EDITED BY MOHAMED BEN-MADANI We have published abstracts of English language theses on Algeria in three parts. The first part in Theses from the English-speaking world on Algeria, Volume. 7, nos. 3-4,1982, pp.94-96; part 2: Abstracts of English language theses on Algeria, 1945-2001, Volume 26, Numbers 2-4, 2001, pp.113-395, this included PhD theses presented in US, Canadian and British Universities; part 3: Abstracts of PhD theses on Algeria presented at British Universities 2002 to 2017, Volume 44. no.1, 2019, pp.112 - 142. Abstracts of English language theses on Algeria in this issue includes theses presented in the US and British Universities, which have not been published in the volumes mentioned above. Theses which had an embargo but are now available are included here. Some theses are comparatively short – as few as 100 pages – and many universities where these theses were presented are not necessarily equipped with bibliographical documentation and the expertise needed to supervise Dissertations on the Maghreb. The list is arranged in alphabetical order by author. EDUCATIONAL WASTAGE AND ITS EFFECT ON SOCIO-ECONOMIC AND MANPOWER PROVISION IN ALGERIA, PHD, UNIVERSITY OF WALES, CARDIFF, 1983 ABBAD, M. This study is composed of three main chapters: Chapter one: analyses the economic and the related educational development from independence in 1962. In terms of mismatch and wastage, the following main causes were isolated: lack of suitable curricula, shortage of schools, good quality teachers, teaching equipment, and the problem of using Arabic as a medium of instruction, together with a rigidity centralised system of control, inadequate supervision and an inflexible system of examination and promotion. Causes outside the school included family, socio-economic status, level of education and broken homes. Chapter two: consists of field study covering supervisors, principals, teacher and parents, using four questionnaires to identify their awareness of the problem and likelihood of supporting new government policy, and to gain further ABSTRACTS OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE THESES ON ALGERIA 373 evidence of the causes of the situation. A strong agreement with the findings of chapter one emerged from the analysis of the replies in terms of ten hypotheses. Chapter three: consists of a discussion giving suggestions of dealing with the problems in respect of the phasing and type of training programmes and provision needed in respect of planning, supervision, and teacher training including the improvement of teacher status. It was assumed that the Fundamental Polytechnic school would become the main base and that this, together with a more vocationally biased secondary school, both with modified curricula, examination and promotion systems could provide the appropriate pupil experiences to meet national development needs. In support of this, suggestions were also made regarding the teaching of Arabic and science; the provision of nursery education; and counselling and guidance. Finally, suggestions were made for the further development of centres for early school leavers and teaching methods in general. DOMINATION BY CONSENT: THE BUREAUX ARABES AND PUBLIC INSTRUCTION IN COLONIAL ALGERIA, 1831-1870, PHD., GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY, 2002. ABI-MERSHED, OSAMA WALID The paper examines educational policies in colonial Algeria between 1831 and 1870, and the efforts of the French military Offices of Arab Affairs (Bureaux arabes) to restructure the socio-cultural environment of Algeria according to colonial imperatives by implementing a curriculum of instruction designed to achieve “domination by consent.” The thesis begins with a survey of the philosophical and ideological bases of colonial instruction, its affinities with the political and cultural initiatives of the civilising mission, and the concessions to local or metropolitan forces and politics in its implementation and administration. Next, I present an overview of the circumstances in which the Arab Bureaux appropriated the cultural mission of France in Algeria by highlighting two transitions in educational policy-making, namely the periods between 18441848 and 1860-1863. Finally, I consider the limits or “horizons” of cultural hegemony, first, in terms of the political, economic, and cultural outlets that were promised or offered to the educated natives upon graduation, and second, in terms...

Quality education, social cohesion and active labour market policies. A case study from a Southern European island state

Societies can benefit from the delivery of inclusive education, lifelong learning as well as from active labour market policies. Therefore, this paper reviews the relevant literature on the provision of quality education for social cohesion. Afterwards, it analyses the latest socio-economic policies that are being implemented in the smallest European island state of Malta. The findings suggest that the Maltese Government's labour market policies are increasingly targeting vulnerable individuals who are not in employment, education or training, including women and migrant workers, among others. At the same time, the policy makers are striving in their endeavours to attract more students in higher and vocational education to reduce the number of early school leavers. In conclusion, this contribution implies that the pursuit towards continuous improvements in quality education and in social cohesion can create a virtuous cycle of productivity outcomes, including job creation and societal well-being.

The Bioecological Model as a Perspective to Interpret Foreign-born Students' Early School Leaving: a Multifactorial Approach

This article examines the theoretical implications associated with the study of the phenomenon of early school leaving amongst foreign-born students. Its aim to provide an overview of a theoretical framework able to describe and capture the different factors involved in this complex problem. This paper begins with a description of the phenomenon of early school leaving amongst foreign-born students, while the second part the article outlines the theoretical framework underlying the study of school dropout, according to a systemic and bioecological perspective of development. Here, different dimensions are analyzed, referring in particular to the ecological model as proposed by Bronfenbrenner (1995): time, interactional, personal, social and cultural dimensions are discussed. Drawing on a systemic, multifactorial, analytical approach, this reflection deepens the understanding of how different factors influence the academic pathways of foreign-born students, causing irregularity in the course of their studies and raising the risk of leaving school early.

Relational analysis of the phenomenon of early school leaving: A habitus typology

Although there is an extensive body of literature on the causes and consequences of early school leaving (ESL), little is known of how early school leavers cope with their situation after having left the education system. This paper’s main objective is to fill this research gap. At first we look at developments in the social positioning of early school leavers in Austria that show that their situation has deteriorated not only because of changes in the labour market (e.g. due to globalization) but also because of displacement processes that are influenced by habitus formation and capital endowment. Drawing on Bourdieu’s concepts of habitus and capital, we explored the situation of young people who had left school early. We used a multi-perspective approach and conducted 123 narrative interviews which we analysed by grouping cases that demonstrated similar social practice and perception patterns generated by a set of socially learned dispositions. Thus we were able to reconstruct a habitus typology consisting of seven different types: the ‘ambitious’, the ‘status-oriented’, the ‘non-conformist’, the ‘disoriented’, the ‘resigned’, the ‘escapist’ and the ‘caring’. How young people experience stigmatization is the common thread that runs through all seven habitus types.

Equity and social exclusion measures in EU lifelong learning policies

ABSTRACT The aim of this article is to examine how EU lifelong learning policies are trying to reach the vulnerable by looking at what measures against social exclusion they offer and how equitable these measures are. It is a qualitative study that focuses on policy documents that form the European Union’s legal and political frameworks of reference in the lifelong learning area since 1992. The document analysis has been complemented by semi-structured interviews with EU lifelong learning experts. The findings show that early school leavers and migrants are the main target groups in the policies, leaving many other groups at risk of being excluded from learning opportunities. There is not enough attention to measures addressing wider social phenomena. There is also an overemphasis on basic skills which are understood in a very narrow way as literacy and numeracy when referring to the vulnerable. We argue that a greater variety of measures as well as better targeted measures are needed to address the multiple and complex needs of the vulnerable. Such measures would allow a broader understanding of lifelong learning where those that are hardest to reach are offered learning opportunities independent of their personal and social circumstances

Non-completed Studies: What Factors Affect Academic Success or Failure?

The ratio of early school leavers is 12.5 in Hungary, which means 22nd place within the EU28. Early school leaving is an important issue in all European countries, because those who finished their studies after primary education are more likely unemployed and it causes problems for both them and the society. Higher educational drop-out also an important issue, although for other reasons than early school leaving. It is even more difficult to find precise data on this: we don’t know what proportion of the students is affected by this in Hungary. In this study I analyze the database of the Hungarian Youth Research 2016. This survey was conducted on a representative sample of 15-29 year olds, questioning 8,000 people, therefore, early school leavers and higher educational drop-outs should be found among the interviewees. The results show that early school leavers have significantly worse status both financial and cultural. Some of those who had finished only primary school think that they have successfully completed their studies. They answered that despite 18.3 percent of them have started a vocational training, which didn’t finish. Despite the expectations, not much is known about the higher educational drop-outs. 4.5 percent of the interviewees did not answer the question of whether they had completed their studies: they are probably the drop-outs, but we can just assume that. The results show that they have better cultural status than the others.

Policy Against Drop-out in Italy

In this essay I set out the current situation of Early School Leaving (ESL) in Italy by considering both data provided by institutional sources (national and international) and a review of the most recent contributions from the educational work that have been done intensively to fight against ESL over the last 20 years. I will argue that the way followed so far will not lead to surprising results, due to deep and structural persisting factors of inequality. After a short overview on the position of Italy in the European rankings, the article recalls the main interventions that took place in the country by different investors (public and non-public), setting up a multiplicity of fragmented macro-politics. Then I will look at the mechanisms of differentiation and unequal distribution of educational opportunities and I will conclude with suggestions on how to make the fight against ESL more efficient and forward-looking.

The u-can-act Platform: A Tool to Study Intra-individual Processes of Early School Leaving and Its Prevention Using Multiple Informants.

We present the u-can-act platform, a tool that we developed to study the individual processes of early school leaving and the preventative actions that mentors take to steer these processes in the right direction. Early school leaving is a significant problem, particularly in vocational education, and can have severe consequences for both the individual and society. However, the prevention of early school leaving is hampered by a mismatch between research and practice: research tends to focus on identifying risk factors using group averages and cross-sectional studies, while practitioners focus on intervening in individual processes. We aim to help solve this mismatch with our project u-can-act. In this project we have developed a platform that helps to gain insight into both the individual processes that precede early school leaving as well as the actions that mentors take to prevent it. In this paper we introduce the u-can-act platform, which consists of three technology-based, reusable methodological innovations. Specifically, our innovations concern: (i) an open source web application for longitudinal personalized data-collection, (ii) an automated study protocol that optimizes adherence in a difficult target group (adolescents at risk for early school leaving), and (iii) a technologically assisted coupling between mentor and student that allows us to study dyadic interactions over time. We present performance results of our platform, including participant adherence, the behavior of the questionnaire items over time, and the way that our web application is experienced by the participants. We conclude that our innovative platform is successful in collecting multi-informant time-series data on intervention processes among students in vocational education, both for at-risk students and control students, and for their mentors. Moreover, our platform is suitable for broader applications: it can be used to study any malleable individual process including the efforts of a second individual who aims to influence this process. Because of the unique insights that the u-can-act platform is able to generate, the platform may ultimately contribute to solving the mismatch between research and practice, and to more effective interventions in individual processes.

Do comprehensive school reforms impact the health of early school leavers? Results of a comparative difference-in-difference design

In the current article, we examine whether and how reforms in tracking age affect educational inequalities in health among people between the ages of 25–75 years. Particular attention is paid to the health consequences for early school leavers. The study combines data from the European Social Survey (2002–2016) on 21 countries with country-cohort information on education policies. Moreover, a difference-in-difference design is used, which takes advantage of both the cross-national and cross-temporal variability in the implementation of comprehensive schooling reforms. The results reveal statistically significant, but very small effects of de-tracking policies on people's health. That is, comprehensive education leads to slight improvements in health among people who have attained upper secondary or tertiary education, but these improvements are achieved at the expense of the health of those with the lowest levels of education. Our study should encourage future research to further explore the institutional impact of educational systems on the health of individuals.