Poverty among the main causes. Bishop Ongtioco: you have to "motivate" the parents to recognize the importance of education for their children's lives. Distance learning programs to help those who drop out continue their studies.
MANILA (AsiaNews) - About 6 million Filipino children of school going age drop out of school altogether. This is the data that has emerged from a study carried out by the Department of Education in Manila. 30% of the 91 million inhabitants of the country are under 18: almost 25% of them never finish their studies. Poverty is largely to blame, but also the lack of awareness among the population of the importance of education. Often problems associated with poverty result in children dropping out of school: the poor health of a parent, illness or physical disabilities and a lack of adequate assistance, the need to help the family economy. Risk Factors of Dropping Out
Previous School Experience
- Absent 20 or more times during the previous school year
- Retained in at least one grade
- Low grades (Cs and Ds or below)
- Disciplinary problems or disruptive behavior
- Has attended five or more schools during a lifetime
Personal or Psychological Characteristics
- External locus of control (i.e., being in agreement with others' perceptions -- believed or actual -- of their individual ability, worth, or value)
- At least one disability (e.g., ADHD, learning disabilities)
- Depression or other emotional problems
Adult and Family Responsibilities of Student
- Has a child
- Must work to help support the family
Family Background and Cohesion
- Family receives public assistance
- Neither parent nor guardian is employed
- Primary language of the family is not English
- A sibling has dropped out of school
- Parent(s) did not graduate from high school
Parental discipline, monitoring, concern, encouragement, and consistency have also be linked to academic achievement. Children whose parents consistently set high standards work harder and do better in school. Additionally, an authoritative parenting style, characterized by warmth and concern coupled with boundaries (i.e., clear rules and limits), has been shown to have a positive effect on academic achievement.
School-Caused Risk Factors
- Ineffective discipline system
- Overburdened school counselors
- Negative school climate
- Retention and/or suspensions used to control discipline, rather than addressing causes
- Disregarding student learning styles
- Passive instructional strategies
- Low expectations of student achievement
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“We assess the problem of students based on the result of FICS- Family, Individual, Community, or School assessment. Not all those who are dropping out are poor students. Rich students may also be vulnerable,” said Prudencia Martinez-Sanoy, DepEd education program specialist and DORP coordinator. Through this, some schools found out that certain students were undergoing difficult situation such as going through pregnancy or experiencing abuse from family members. A total of 1,176 public high schools now have Drop Out Reduction Program (DORP). This number represents 17.68 percent out of the total of 6,650 high schools nationwide. The schools in Zamboanga Sibugay that posted a zero drop-out rate include national high schools (NHS) in Balangao, Guinoman, Imelda, Kasigpitan, Nanan, Symbol, and Talusan. In Cotabato, the zero drop out schools are the NHS in Badiogan, Nabalawag, Pikit, and Matalam. In Southern Leyte, these are the NHS in Esperanza, Libas, Nava, Ichon, and Esleta, In Romblon, these are the NHS in Agnipa, Ferrol, Sta. Fe, Concuera, and San Jose .For four consecutive SYs now, other Romblon high schools of Tanagan,Cambalo, Mayha,and Esteban Madrona. Ferrol have been posting zero drop out rate while the high schools of Agnipa and Sta. Fe has gained zero drop out record over the last three school years. The division of Masbate also recorded a very low drop out rate of only 0.95 percent particularly in the high schools of Dimasalang, Feliciano Samonte,Puro, Iniwaran Integrated, and Liong. High schools that recorded a less than one percent drop-out rate in Zamboanga Sibugay were NHS in Olutanga, Pantaleon Cordiera, Pioneer, San Antonio, and Basalem. “Because of the success of DORP in high school, public elementary schools are initiating their own program for Pupils at Risk of Dropping out (PARDO),” Sanoy said. Dr. Violeta Alocilja, Southern Leyte schools district superintendent, said that the School-Based Management (SBM) practice of empowering the school heads has given them more options to address the problem of students dropping out of school. "For instance, we believe that the SII is more effective for us in addressing drop out rates among elementary students," Alocilja explained. As proof of this, in Benguet Division, elementary schools in 14 districts are already "dorping." DORP was first tried out under the Secondary Education Development and Improvement Project (SEDIP) implemented in 2000-2006 which was co-financed by the Asian Development Bank.
