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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Objectives of the Study The study pursued the following objectives: (1) to identify the primary causes

of dropping out among elementary and secondary students, differentiated by

academic level, gender and location (urban/rural); (2) to identify among the primary

causes those that contribute to high dropout rates in Grades 1 and 2 and First Year

level in secondary school; and (3) to identify which, among the implemented school-

based interventions, are effective in reducing high dropout rates.

Main Findings

Causes of Dropping out. The most common cause of dropping out was

poverty. Students who came from poor families left school because they had limited

resources for daily allowance, transportation fare, purchase of school uniform,

materials needed for school requirements and contributions. Boys, particularly the

older ones, were forced to leave school to help parents in the farm or to find work as

means of augmenting family income. Younger girls left school to take care of

siblings and do house chores to enable mothers to generate additional income; the

older ones sought employment to help meet the financial needs of the family. In

families under very tight economic conditions, children became less interested in

attending class, and less motivated to stay in school.

Poverty also influenced how teachers viewed the students who were potential

dropouts. Being tired from earning money, these children were unable to focus on

schoolwork. In view of their inability to come up with materials needed for school

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projects and to turn in their assignments, some teachers became less sympathetic to

them. In big urban schools, where class sizes were somewhere around seventy

students per section, teachers tended to take for granted students’ distress signals

of dropping out because they viewed leaving school as a natural phenomenon

among this type of students.

Extreme poverty also limited the capacity of the family to support their

child/children in school; it restricted parents’ options in terms of developing

strategies for creating ways to provide for the hidden costs of schooling.

Academic level, gender and location as sources of variation in causes

for dropping out. Based on the results of the study, elementary dropouts were

especially deterred from attending school because of distance between home and

school and responsibility of taking care of siblings at home. On the other hand, most

secondary school dropouts gave up schooling in order to work. In the elementary

level, Grades 1 and 2 dropouts, particularly the boys, were most affected by teacher

factor, and lack of school readiness, while those in higher levels were more

obligated to work to contribute economically to the family. The older elementary

school dropouts tended to lack school uniforms also. In the secondary level, First

Year school dropouts, according to teachers, lacked skills required for school life.

Male dropouts, in general, had lower motivation and interest levels for school

work, while females, particularly those in elementary level, had greater responsibility

of looking after siblings, many of whom needed caring because they were sick. Male

elementary school dropouts were also particularly disadvantaged when they lived far

from school and had to walk a long way to and from school.

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Urban students were more prone to loss of motivation to attend class,

difficulty in understanding lessons, and poor health while rural students were in

danger of dropping out because of distance of school from home, and family

responsibility of earning money and caring for sick parents and siblings.

Dropping out among urban elementary students was attributed to teacher

factor, distance between home and school, poor health, and tiredness from walking

to and from school. For rural elementary students, the major cause for leaving

school were work, responsibility of caring for siblings, inaccessibility of school from

home, and lack of school uniform.

Urban secondary school dropouts identified peer influence, family problems

and low grades as among causes of leaving school while those from rural secondary

school attributed it mainly to employment.

The cause for dropping out for urban males was laziness to attend class while

that for urban females was a combination of family responsibility to earn money

(work) and take care of siblings, distance of school from home and poor health.

These gender differences reveal interesting distinctions between boys and girls.

Laziness among urban males was possibly associated with distractions in the

community, teacher factor and lack of economic opportunities. For females, cultural

expectations account for their getting employed and

performing the task of looking after siblings, which could have seriously affected

their health. In rural settings, the cause for dropping for both males and females

was economic. For females, the additional task of caring for siblings served as an

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indirect economic contribution to the family because it allowed mothers to engage in

livelihood activities.

Dropping out is a social phenomenon with multiple dimensions that

include psychological, sociological and cultural factors. School dropout is a

social phenomenon with multiple dimensions, not a simple head count that is subject

to manipulation. It does not happen as a result of one single cause, but rather a

combination of them. Just like schooling, the multiple dimensions of dropping out

include psychological, sociological and cultural factors. While dropping out is rooted

in poverty, there are other circumstances and forces in school, in the family, in the

students themselves, and in the community that make them leave school.

Psychological factors contribute to dropping out. The study showed how

school climate, sense of belongingness and academic pressure contributed to

dropping out. Students themselves perceived that their schools, in general, had

positive school climate. However, in three schools (one rural elementary and two

urban secondary schools), students and parents recognized that school climate was

a significant factor for dropping out; they specifically mentioned (1) large class sizes;

(2) teachers’ manifestation of hostility to students; (3) presence of gangs and

occasional violence in school; (4) diverse backgrounds of students, especially in

urban settings; and (5) teacher’s preferential treatment and discrimination of

students. For many dropouts, academic pressure that stemmed from their inability

to procure the materials (e.g., notebooks, writing instruments, cartolina, plastic

sheets and colored paper) needed for schoolwork led to dropping out. For others,

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lack of the necessary prerequisite reading, writing and calculating skills intensified

the strain that students experienced in complying with academic requirements.

Sociological factors affect dropping out. Regarded as by-product or

natural consequence of poverty, sociological factors such as level of parental

involvement in the education of their children, school leaders’ views about dropping

out and consequent treatment of students, lack of preschool education, and

teachers’ informal evaluation of at-risk students had an effect on those who dropped

out. Parents’ failure to (1) provide financial support; (2) monitor children’s

attendance and schoolwork; and (3) give moral support were precipitating factors for

dropping out. The crucial role of preschool education in promoting school

attendance and conversely deterring dropping out in Grade 1 was acknowledged by

DepEd officials, principals and teachers. In certain cases, teachers’ informal

assessments of students affected the latter’s self-determination to stay in school.

Teachers who were indifferent to slow learners and who suggested that they quit

school incited these learners to withdraw from school.

Cultural factors influence dropping out. The study showed how hidden

curriculum, parents’ views and acceptance of dropping out, and teachers’ beliefs

about at-risk students and teaching practices predisposed weak learners to dropping

out. Among the hidden curriculum detected in urban secondary schools included the

existence of gangs and students’ preoccupation with computer gaming. Gangs, or

“tribes”, prompted the dropping out of some students who refused to pay “protection

money” to the gang members. Students who got “addicted” to computer gaming

tended to sacrifice school attendance and requirements. When taken for granted,

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aspects of the hidden curriculum would undermine the goals, programs and

processes being promoted by the official curriculum.

Among parents of dropouts, it was acceptable for an older son or daughter

to sacrifice one’s attendance in school if dropping out would contribute to family

income. It was also agreeable for any of the siblings to give up schooling in favor of

another sibling. Cultural expectations held by parents with regard to social roles of

males as breadwinners and females as caregivers and housekeepers were used as

justifications for dropping out of their children.

Teachers claimed that they had done their best to arrest dropping out in their

respective schools through the application of the usual measures, such as

monitoring student progress through home visitations, talking to parents, conducting

remedial classes, giving guidance to students and collaborating with parents. The

institutionalization of these practices had promoted teachers’ complacency because

of their belief that these measures worked. While parents concurred with what

teachers had done, some students felt that the efforts were not enough because of

teachers’ frequent absence from class, boring teaching methods, hostility to

students, and favoritism.

Interventions that directly address the needs of students and parents

were the most successful. Interventions applied to address the dropout problem

varied from standard procedures to responsive strategies and assistance programs

specially designed by private organizations. Routine preliminary procedures such as

sending letters to parents, home visits and parent conferences were usually carried

out when a student had been absent for a period of time. Of the three, home visit

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was the most effective way of drawing the absentee student back to school.

Interventions that directly addressed the needs of students and parents such as

breakfast programs, remedial classes and financial assistance had also been

successful because of their immediate and visible impact on recipients. Equally

effective were intensive, specifically focused and closely monitored programs by

international organizations and NGOs such as Strengthening the Implementation of

Basic Education in selected provinces in the Visayas Project (STRIVE ) and the

Child-Friendly School System (CFSS). Carefully designed remediation procedures

such as Alternative Learning Systems (ALS), Modified In School-Out School

Approach (MIS-OSA) and Effective and Affordable Secondary Education (Project

EASE) had shown promising results in reducing dropout rates in schools where they

had been initially implemented.

Recommendations

The following recommendations are proposed:

1. Adoption of a Multi-Sectoral Management Approach to Dropout

Reduction

2. Implementation of CFSS in all public elementary schools

3. Enhanced community investment in Early Childhood Care and

Development (ECCD)

4. Development of teacher recruitment strategy and empowerment program

nchored on the National Competency-Based Teacher Standards

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Practical Solutions

The following are suggested practical solutions defined in terms of proposed

program, goal, cooperating program(s), program implementer(s) and partner

agency(ies): (1) a Multi-Sectoral Management Council for Dropout Reduction; (2) a

community lodging; (3) a food production initiative; (4) a re-entry program for out-of-

school youth (OSY); (5) a teacher development program; and (6) parenting

seminars.

Creation of a Multi-Sectoral Management Council for Dropout

Reduction. The complexity of the dropout phenomenon calls for the creation of a

multi-sectoral management council in every school district where different

stakeholders are represented for purposes of sharing social responsibility, i.e.,

increasing school attendance through reduction of dropping out. To this effect, both

the school and family, as major stakeholders, take the center stage, while the school

system, the office of school division superintendent (SDS), the barangay or local

government unit, and the Parent-Teacher-Community Association (PTCA) can serve

as major implementers of school dropout reduction program. Partner agencies

represented in the council include government agencies like the Department of

Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and local government units (barangay,

municipal and provincial). Experts in the academe and representatives of civil

society are also part of this council.

The council should be guided by the following six key components of effective

schools: (1) Efficient organizational structure; (2) Positive school climate; (3)

Responsive instruction and support programs; (4) Integrated academic curriculum;

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(5) Empathic teachers and school personnel; and (6) Coordinated community

involvement.

The council should effectively address the following: (1) the hidden costs of

schooling, particularly for students who come from economically disadvantaged

families; (2) sponsorship of programs for young children and part-time employment

opportunities during weekends and vacation periods for older ones; (3) provision of

transportation services and car-pooling initiatives with the help of parents and

members of the community; and (4) setting up of storeroom for school supplies,

textbooks and school uniforms collected from donors .

The office of SDS should adopt a policy that puts a cap on school

contributions for expensive projects including so-called desirable contributions to

anti-TB campaign and the Philippine National Red Cross.

The members of this council should be guided by the value of mutual help

because “Every child/youth matters.”

Setting Up a Community Lodging. To solve the problem of inaccessibility

of schools, particularly in rural areas, a school or community lodging should be set

up through the initiative of the school head, barangay leader(s), and parent

volunteers from the PTCA, and with the participation of partner agencies/groups

such as the DSWD, civil society, interested NGOs and the donor community More

importantly, this program should include parenting by volunteer surrogate parents

and transient teachers who will also supervise food preparation, personal hygiene

and sanitation, and homework. With the joint efforts of the school, the barangay

government, and other community volunteers, food donations can be solicited from

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parents themselves who have the resources to share and from other community and

private sector donors. This program should articulate the value of self-help,

independence and mutual cooperation. Drawing from the experience of settlement

farm schools in the distant past, food production should be a major component of

this dropout reduction program and the school curriculum. This practical solution is

in line with the following objectives of the Basic Education Sector Reform Agenda

(BESRA): (1) universal school participation and elimination of dropouts and

repetition in first three grade levels; and (2) total community commitment to the

attainment of basic education competencies for all.

In urban schools with an overwhelming student population, another scheme

or solution can be adopted and tested, such as the solicitation of donations from

concerned citizens for purposes of providing transportation fare, provision of part-

time livelihood activities at the high school level and re-entry program for OSY.

School Food Production. To increase the level of student participation in

school, food production and feeding programs are suggested as practical solutions

to dropping out. In rural elementary and secondary schools, where there is usually

an idle vacant land on school campus or within the vicinity of the school, food

production can be adopted to promote the value of self-reliance, self-sufficiency,

cooperation and industry. As a legitimate component of Edukasyong Pantahanan at

Pangkabuhayan (EPP) for the elementary level, practical arts teachers should

engage students in Gulayan sa Paaralan Program and other food production

activities. Volunteer parents, representative(s) from the Department of Agriculture,

members of civil society and NGO members can participate in food generation and

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production to make the food supply for the nutrition/feeding program self-sufficient.

Meanwhile, barangay government should maintain its support for the feeding

program, particularly at the lower grade levels.

Re-entry Program for OSY. For OSY who have dropped out of school or

students who are at the point of dropping out for economic and family reasons,

secondary schools should consider the adoption of the Bureau of Secondary

Education Effective and Affordable Secondary Education (Project EASE), the

Modified In School-Off School Approach (MIS-OSA), and the No Dropout Learning

System-Education for All (NODROPS LS-EFA). Likewise, OSY should be

encouraged to consider participation in community-based programs through the

alternative learning systems (ALS) and to take their equivalency certification.

Analogous programs should be developed and offered by the Bureau of Alternative

Learning Systems (BALS) and by similar service providers. The success of schools

depends largely on the extent to which they are able to provide the necessary

instruction for learners, in whatever circumstances in life they are found.

In this regard, teachers should also be knowledgeable on how to implement

these programs, including strategies utilized in the delivery of these alternative

learning programs. A responsive and flexible instructional strategy allows students

to perform their family duties without necessarily sacrificing their education.

Since most OSY come from poor families, the DSWD can help DepEd plan

interventions for these families. OSY are dropouts who have left school for a

considerable period of time. Some OSY and dropouts have gotten into trouble with

the law. Information from BJMP experts can help schools deal with students who

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are at-risk of dropping out because of their behavior problems. Focus group

discussions with barangay officials and representatives of these agencies will be

most valuable in developing interventions that will be of help to parents.

Development of Teaching Competencies. The development of teaching

competencies, especially in dealing with at-risk students should be taken seriously

by the school division, school district and the schools themselves. To reduce the

number of school dropouts, teachers should be empowered through in-service

training programs focused on the implementation of the National Competency-Based

Teacher Standards or NCBTS (Teacher Education Council & Department of

Education, 2006). The acquisition or re-acquisition of competencies in the following

domains is crucial in dealing with at-risk students: (1) Social Regard for Learning; (2)

Learning Environment; (3) Diversity of Learners; (4) Curriculum; (5) Planning

Assessment and Reporting; (6) Community Linkages; and (7) Personal Growth and

Professional Development. However, in view of teachers’ hostility to students, the

first three domains should be given more emphasis.

Helping teachers understand that experiences of academic success,

relevance of schoolwork to important personal goals, the perception that adults in

school care about them, and assistance in dealing with immediate personal

concerns are key to effective instruction and academic programs.

Teachers should also be trained (or retrained) in the use of instructional

methods that encourage learners to have more engagement in teaching-learning

activities. The importance and effectiveness of play activities should be capitalized

by teachers, particularly those who teach Grades 1 and 2. Teaching methods and

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learning materials based on prior learning and those that allow children to actively

participate in constructing knowledge, with guidance from teachers, should also be

utilized in place of the usual approach of having students copy lessons from the

blackboard.

Teachers who have attended in-service training seminars on effective

instruction should be encouraged to share what they have learned; some of them

can be trainers of their peers. Training programs for teachers on classroom

management approaches, alternative delivery modes and alternative learning

systems should be designed and provided, particularly for those handling large class

sizes in highly urbanized areas, those in communities that have seasonal agricultural

cycles, and those with recurring high dropout rates.

Another program that allows learners to participate in the teaching-learning

experience is the Project E-Instructional Management by Parents, Community and

Teachers (or E-IMPACT) Learning System. This program creates opportunities for

parents and other members of the community to provide instruction to those who

cannot regularly attend school in order to avoid interruption in their education

experience.

Experts in the academe whose training and background include psychology,

sociology and anthropology can be asked to help teachers achieve these

competencies. It is, therefore, essential that teacher education institutions (TEIs)

and the Teacher Education Council (TEC) are regarded as partners of school

division offices, school districts and schools in the re-training and empowerment of

teachers, where respect for human dignity, social responsibility and public service

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are given emphasis. Topics to be discussed and given emphasis should include

critical pedagogy, hidden curriculum, teacher expectation, violence against students,

humanizing teaching, and scaffolding success for disadvantaged students.

In order to ensure instructional effectiveness, close monitoring of teachers

with regard to teaching skills is also recommended, especially for beginning

teachers. Teachers who have just attended in-service training should also be

monitored to promote change in teaching practices. This task can be carried out by

those whose responsibility is to oversee the quality of classroom instruction.

Parenting Seminars. Meetings, seminars or conferences for parents on how

to assist their children in school should be organized on a regular basis, and

conducted during a time most convenient to parents who work or are employed.

Barangay meetings can serve as a venue to communicate expectations and

practices that promote student participation in school. Parenting seminars that

address parents’ needs can be organized by community leaders and key individuals

and businessmen. The assistance of educators, psychologists, social workers and

other helping professionals in the community can be sought in providing seminars on

parenting skills and similar topics to help parents provide psychological support and

practical support for their children in school. If necessary, the support of the

barangay officials can be solicited in terms of informing parents and obtaining their

participation in such programs. Social marketing campaigns can be devised by

members of the community for this purpose.

There are many other practical solutions that the schools, school districts, and

school division offices can seriously think about, adopt and implement. The creation

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of a Multi-Sectoral Council on Dropout Reduction is an essential step toward

effective solutions. This council is the source of well-designed programs as well as

the effective implementation of these programs. The council can articulate best the

goals of dropout reduction program in specific sites, learn from the experience of

cooperating programs, and invite and steer program implementers and partner

agencies. Dropout reduction is everyone’s concern. It is a public good and a public

service.