BEYOND THE ACADEME: ACCOUNTS OF YOUTHS WHO LEAVE SCHOOLS

A Research Proposal Presented To

The Ulip National High School
Upper Ulip, Monkayo, Compostela Valley

In Partial Fulfillment on the Requirements

For Senior High School

JAYJAY BELICAN
RESTY DUGA-DUGA
CHRISTIAN RECIBAS
MAY PEARL BERNALDEZ
HYACHENT MAE TUBIANO

MARCH 2019
 ACKNOWLEDGMENT

We are not capable of doing some things without God. So we thank Him for the

knowledge and wisdom He bestowed upon us which really helped to successfully made

this project. Thank You so much God for keeping us strong when we are surrounded by

many problems. We are really grateful that You made us to come this far.

We would also like to extend our gratitude to the following persons who

contributed for the success of this study:

To our mentor in research, sir Alrey E. Callao, thank you for teaching and

guiding us well right from the start. Without you, this project will surely be meaningless

for we do not know how to make it. We are really grateful that you helped us in every

step of the way, so that we can be able to proceed to the next one, and finally to finish

this project.

To the Ulip National High School, headed by sir Florencio Ñ. Añora, thank

you for allowing us to conduct this study. Without you, we cannot proceed to the next

step and eventually this research project will be in vain.

To the Ulip NHS Teachers, thank you for letting us use the printer in order to

print our manuscript and for lending us some papers in case we run out of it. We are

also grateful because you helped us to correct our grammatical errors.

To our adviser, ma’am Lorraine Joy C. Ogaya, thank you for helping us in times

that we encountered hardships. We really appreciated your kindness, especially in

times when we were in need. You never turn your back, instead you find ways so that

we can be able to proceed.

 To my co-leaders Kristy Claire Y. Tanda and Josia Grace M. Cordiño, thank

you for letting me see your works for it really helped me especially when my mind was

hanging. I really appreciated your good will.

To all members, thank you so much for the money you had contributed. It really

helped this study to be fulfilled because we did not have any problems in terms of

buying things needed for our project. Furthermore, we were also grateful for our

cooperation, and for staying at each others side when we needed assistance from each

other.

To the participants of this study, thank you so much for your participation for

without your presence we cannot successfully made this research project.

To our family, thank you for the warmest support you have given for it really

helped and strengthened me to face enormous hardships in conducting this study.

Furthermore, I am also grateful to the allowance you gave me for I am capable to give a

contribution to the expenses needed in our project.

Thank you for being part of this success. We really owe you a lot. Surely, we will

forever bring your kindness wherever we go.

May God continue to shower His blessing to us!

The Researchers
 DEDICATION

This research project is solely dedicated to

my Savior, my Refuge, my Father, my Friend

JESUS CHRIST.

To God Be the Glory and Honor!

The Researchers
 ABSTRACT

BEYOND THE ACADEME: ACCOUNTS OF YOUTHS

WHO LEAVE SCHOOLS

Schooling generates higher future income for individuals and enhances economic
development in a society (McMahon, 1998 & Patron, 2008). Thus, we conducted this
qualitative-phenomenological study which aimed to know the particular reasons behind
why the youths leave school. This study conducted an In-depth Interview of seven
participants who were former students of Ulip National High School and were chosen
purposively by the researchers. A semi-structured interview guide was made for the
data gathering which unveiled the reasons, difficulties and coping mechanisms of the
youths after leaving school. As a result from the thematic analysis, four essential
themes were generated from the reasons of the participants including leaving school as
personal choice, leaving school due to vices, leaving school due to early employment
and leaving school due to early pregnancy; faced with financial problems, faced with
family problems, feeling tired and lonely are the three essential themes generated out
from the difficulties of the participants; and being helped through prayer, having a
positive outlook, parental support and changes of behaviour are the four essential
themes generated out from the coping mechanisms of the participants. In this regard
various implications must be considered by the authorities to at least prevent this
phenomenon from happening. These includes having symposiums and programs to
enlighten the youths who leave school as well as giving of scholarships fairly, especially
to the youths who encountered poverty.

Keywords: high school dropouts, reasons for leaving school early, cause and effect of
dropping out, qualitative study, phenomenological approach
 TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page
TITLE PAGE……………………………………………………................................... i
ACKNOWLEDGMENT…………..……………………………………………………... ii
DEDICATION…………………….……………………………………………………... iv
ABSTRACT……………………….……………………………………………………... v
TABLE OF CONTENTS………………………………………………………………... vi
Chapter
I INTRODUCTION
Rationale……………………..……………………………………………. 1
Purpose of the Study…………………………...................................... 2
Review of Related Literature…………………………………………….. 2
Schematic Diagram………………………………………………………. 24
Theoretical Lens………………………………….................................. 25
Research Questions……………………………………………………… 26
Scope and Delimitation…………………………................................... 26
Significance of the Study………………………………………………… 26
Definition of Terms………………………………................................... 27

II METHODOLOGY
Research Design………………………………………………………….. 29
Research Locale…………………………………………………………... 30
Research Participants……………………….……………………………. 34
Research Instruments…………………………………………………….. 34
Research Procedures…………………………………………………….. 35
Data Analysis…………………………...…………………………………. 36
Ethical Considerations……………………………………………………. 36

III RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS

What are the Reasons of the Youths who leave School?

....................................................................................... 38
Leaving School as Personal Choice........................................ 40
Leaving School Due to Vices…………………………………… 42
Leaving School Due to Early Employment……………………. 43
Leaving School Due to Early Pregnancy…………………….... 44
What are the difficulties the youths encountered as they leave

school?.......................................................................................... 45
Faced with Financial Problems or Poverty.....................…..... 47
Faced with Family Problems................................................... 48
Feeling Tired and Lonely……………………………..………… 49
What are the coping mechanisms of the youths who leave

school?.......................................................................................... 50
Being Helped Through Prayer………………………………...... 52
Having Positive Outlook…………………………………………. 53
 Parental Support…………………………………………………. 54
Changes of Behavior…………………………………………….. 55

IV CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS

Implications for Practices…………………………………………... 57
Leaving due to Personal Choice............................................. 57
Leaving due to Vices............................................................... 57
Leaving due to Employment................................................... 57
Leaving due to Early Pregnancy............................................. 58
Implications for Future Research………….………………………… 58
Concluding Remarks………………………………………………… 59

REFERENCES
APPENDICES
A Letter of Permission ...............................................……………………… 67
B Accomplished Informed Consent Forms……………...………………….. 68
C Accomplished Informant’s Verification Form……………………………… 82
D Letter to Validators…………………………………………………………… 89
E Validation Sheet for Interview Guide…...........................………………… 92
F Interview Guide…...............................................…………………………. 95
CURRICULUM VITAE