Causes and Prevention of Dropouts of Students in Higher Secondary Schools of Quetta
Abstract
Education is an essential facet of any country's development, which can have a direct influence on the growth,
development, and progress of its citizens. A cause for concern in this study is that education is a key factor in any country's
growth & development. The incapability to complete the academic program leads to negative impacts on the students'
lives in terms of prospects and overall development. Therefore, it has to be investigated the main dropout reasons in the
country as well as the implementing strategies to overcome these issues. Regrettably, the dropout rate of students at higher
secondary levels is higher, especially in the Quetta City of Pakistan, as most of the students are unable to continue their
higher studies. So, the current study aimed to examine the causes and prevention plans in terms of teachers' perceptions
at higher secondary levels in Quetta City. The data was collected from 78 teachers from higher secondary schools with
the help of 20 questions using a 5-point Likert scale. The data collected was analyzed using descriptive statistics, including
percentages and the chi-square method, with the help of the 'Statistical Package of Social Sciences' (SPSS) software.
Multiple reasons have been found for dropout at higher secondary levels including lack of community support, socio-
economic factors, absence of extra co-curricular activities, family-related issues, a weak relationship between teachers &
students, teacher absences, and most importantly the school has no concern regarding these issues. Furthermore, these
higher secondary schools don't have any prevention plans for that. Although multiple NGOs, UNICEF (ALP), and other
organizations are working on this issue, there is still no single prevention plan for dropouts. The study also attempted to
identify geographic and societal factors contributing to the high dropout rate and suggest practical solutions.
Recommendations; Raising awareness about the issue of school dropouts and prevention strategies is crucial among
parents, teachers, stakeholders, and heads of educational institutions in Quetta's higher secondary schools to decrease the
dropout rate and related prevention strategies
References
Balfanz, R., & Legters, N. (2004). Locating the Dropout Crisis. Which High Schools Produce the Nation's Dropouts?
Where Are They Located? Who Attends Them? Report 70. Center for Research on the Education of Students Placed
at Risk CRESPAR.
Bradshaw, C. P., O'Brennan, L. M., & McNeely, C. A. (2008). Core competencies and the prevention of school failure
and early school leaving. New directions for child and adolescent Development, 2008(122), 19-32.
Christle, C. A., Jolivette, K., & Nelson, C. M. (2007). School characteristics related to high school dropout rates. Remedial
and Special education, 28(6), 325-339.
Farooq, M. S. (1948). Causes of Primary School Students' Dropout in Punjab. Journal of Elementary Education, 26(1),
-79.
Fortin, L., Marcotte, D., Potvin, P., Royer, É., & Joly, J. (2006). Typology of students at risk of dropping out of school:
Description by personal, family and school factors. European Journal of Psychology of education, 21, 363-383.
Freudenberg, N., & Ruglis, J. (2007). Peer reviewed: Reframing school dropout as a public health issue. Preventing
chronic disease, 4(4).
Gonzales, N. A., Dumka, L. E., Deardorff, J., Carter, S. J., & McCray, A. (2004). Preventing poor mental health and
school dropout of Mexican American adolescents following the transition to junior high school. Journal of
Adolescent Research, 19(1), 113-131.
Hawkins, R. L., Jaccard, J., & Needle, E. (2013). Nonacademic factors associated with dropping out of high school:
Adolescent problem behaviors. Journal of the society for social work and research, 4(2), 58-75.
KAKAR, K. U., ULLAH, N., ACHAKZAI, J. K., PANEZAI, M. A., JAFFER, F., JAFFAR, H., ... & ALI, A. (2021).
Causes of student’s dropout at secondary level in Pishin. European Academy Research, 9(9), 6058-6066.
Kishore, A. N., & Shaji, K. S. (2012). School dropouts: examining the space of reasons. Indian Journal of Psychological
Medicine, 34(4), 318-323.
Kumar, P., Patel, S. K., Debbarma, S., & Saggurti, N. (2023). Determinants of School dropouts among adolescents:
Evidence from a longitudinal study in India. PLoS one, 18(3), e0282468.
Liem, J. H., Lustig, K., & Dillon, C. (2010). Depressive symptoms and life satisfaction among emerging adults: A
comparison of high school dropouts and graduates. Journal of Adult Development, 17, 33-43.
Long, Z. A., & Noor, M. F. M. (2023). Factors Influencing Dropout Students in Higher Education. Education Research
International, 2023.
Lucky, H. K. (2011). Attitudes, knowledge, and experience with dropout prevention strategies of Mississippi teachers
and administrators. The University of Southern Mississippi.
Maertens, A. (2013). Social norms and aspirations: age of marriage and education in rural India. World Development, 47,
-15.
Mughal, A. W., & Aldridge, J. (2017). Head Teachers' Perspectives on School Drop-Out in Secondary Schools in Rural
Punjab, Pakistan. Educational Studies, 53(4), 359-376
Paksi, B., Széll, K., & Fehérvári, A. (2023). Empirical Testing of a Multidimensional Model of School Dropout
Risk. Social Sciences, 12(2), 50.
Parreño, S. J. (2023). School dropouts in the Philippines: causes, changes and statistics. Sapienza: International Journal
of Interdisciplinary Studies, 4(1), e23002-e23002.
Ramsdal, G. H., Bergvik, S., & Wynn, R. (2018). Long-term dropout from school and work and mental health in young
adults in Norway: A qualitative interview-based study. Cogent Psychology, 5(1), 1455365.
Rao, N. (2010). Aspiring for distinction: Gendered educational choices in an Indian village. Compare, 40(2), 167-183.
Rosada, R. S., & Lestari, S. (2023). Psychological Conditions and Social Relations of School Dropouts. Indigenous:
Jurnal Ilmiah Psikologi, 7(3), 288-307. please summarize in 6 lines
Saghir, S. (2022). Predicting Dropout Student from School. Pakistan's Multidisciplinary Journal for Arts &
Science, 3(01), 01-31.
Shah, N. A., Sajjad, S., & Akram, M. (2023). Job Satisfaction among Teachers of Higher Secondary Schools of
Quetta. Human Nature Journal of Social Sciences, 4(1), 295-308.
Journal of Social Sciences and Media Studies (JOSSAMS) Volume 7, Issue 1, 2023
ISSN: 2518-8046
Sultana, N. (2017). Causes of dropout of female students at graduate level of education in Pakistan. City University
Research Journal, 164-170.
Sweeten, G., Bushway, S. D., & Paternoster, R. (2009). Does dropping out of school mean dropping into
delinquency?. Criminology, 47(1), 47-91.
Wild, S., Rahn, S., & Meyer, T. (2023). The relevance of basic psychological needs and subject interest as explanatory
variables for student dropout in higher education—a German case study using the example of a cooperative
education program. European Journal of Psychology of Education, 1-18.
Winny, C., & Muchesia, I. P. (2023). An Investigation of School Characteristics Leading to Students‟ Dropout from
Mixed-Day Secondary Schools in Bomet East Sub-County, Kenya. Sch J Arts Humanit Soc Sci, 1, 17-22.
Winzer, M., Altieri, E., & Larsson, V. (2000). Porfolios as a Tool for Attitude Change. Rural Special Education
Quarterly, 19(3-4), 72-81.
Zafar, H. (2016). Empowering women: NGOs project impacts in Baluchistan-Pakistan (Doctoral dissertation, Western
Sydney University (Australia
