A Social Concern: School Dropout

Wilmer F. Zambrana
Kathleen L. Garcia
Maria E. Flores

English Department, National Autonomous University of Nicaragua

UNAN-MANAGUA

Academic Reading and Writing

M.A. Geraldine Lopez

October 20th, 2021

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A Social Concern: School Dropout

Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world

(Mandela, 1990). Over decades, Education has dealt with several difficulties. However,

academic discontinuity in public or private institutions such as schools, colleges or universities

is increasingly recognized as a serious and worldwide concern and has remained as one of the

most detrimental factors in the entire Educational System. This abandonment may result in a

cycle of constant repetition of courses which hinders the assurance of learning. An

accumulation of literature over decades has strongly supported the conceivable reasons for

academic discontinuity. For instance, in the study “Higher education and the problem of

abandonment – how can we keep students from leaving?” (2017) the authors summarized

twelve common root causes of the early abandonment. Although the reasons for dropping out

vary and may be unique, the costs are clearly evident in a variety of ways: underachievement of

academic competencies, employment limitations, or promotion of delinquency (Chapman,

Laird, & KewalRamani, 2011; Terrence, Raczek, Vuilleumier, Foley, Heberle, Sibley, Dearing,

2018; Kehm, Larsen, & Hanna, 2019). However, understanding these decisions that lead to

dropping out or completing courses requires a deeper analysis. The real fact is that students´

retention throughout the educational system has been affected by common determinant factors:

financial constraints, migration, academic underachievement, and demotivation, regardless of

the type of institution, which may further result in several inhibitions to society.

In the pursuit of finding the root cause of academic abandonment, numerous

explanations and assumptions have been given. One accountable reason claims to be the high

financial cost incurred in intermediate education, which represents a common issue in

developing countries. First and foremost, students' and parents’ monthly capital is reduced due

to an extreme amount of expenses throughout the entire academic path. They invest the money

that sometimes is destined to home basic services, in tuition fees, textbooks, school supplies,
 3
and transportation. Jade Scipioni (2018), in her article: “51% of college students dropped out of

school due to costs, study finds”, published in FoxBusiness, reported results of a survey

conducted by LendEDU, an online student loan refinancing company, in which financial

constraints highlight as the main reason of the dropout. Moreover, students, whose college

application is denied in public institutions, conclude investing in private universities in order to

gain access to a higher education. For instance, private education in Nicaragua is privileged.

Students who lack opportunities at public national universities pay around a thousand dollars

per year and they do not receive enough support such as scholarships and discounts. For

instance, in the exploratory research conducted by the university of Aveiro. The authors stated

that students who drop their studies, it is mainly because they do not qualify for financial

support such as scholarships. As a result, they obtain part-time jobs that affect their study habits

and routine. All this workload is overwhelming and finally leads to dropouts (Oliveira et al,

2017) Furthermore, students from rural areas are also affected since they cannot afford

secondary education and as a result they start working at an early age. In a study conducted by

the World Bank, School Dropouts in Central America (2016) by Melissa Adelman Miguel

Székely. The authors establish the relationship between high cost of education and the increase

of informal labor force in the countryside. This means that parents send their kids to work

because they are needed for agricultural work, factories and other areas in which children can

work and make money immediately rather than investing in school. In Nicaragua more than

40% of dropouts happen when students are about to start high school education. One major

drawback of this is that students who abandon school certainly engage in economic activities

and have less probabilities to return to class. Once kids get a job, they become part of the family

labor force. In brief, dropouts are part of a major problem for society because it affects the

development of countries in the long term. The negative impact of financial difficulties can be

observed in the school dropout in the countryside for primary and secondary education.
 4
Although it has been discussed potential factors that lead to dropout, the claim that academic

underachievement and demotivation rank in the top causes of abandonment is not left behind. The lack

of relevant and meaningful content is the key to understanding school dropouts. The absence of

interesting contents, appealing for the students, and that cover the individual needs is missing in the

system of education. For instance, national curriculum design is disadvantageous for rural students, since

it is supposed to meet international standards (as cited in Yokozeki, 1996, p97). It does not cater to

students’ context and reality, but focuses on the urban area instead. In addition, students who face

difficulties in achieving outcomes due to the high expectations of the curriculum get academic

frustration and demotivation. The research “The Effects of Increasing the Standards of the High School

Curriculum on School Dropout” conducted by Katja Görlitz and Christina Gravert (2015), discussed

both sides of adding reform of high standards to the current curriculum, which on one hand increased the

level of core subjects, but on the other hand, it was a push factor of abandonment in both genres: females

and males, reducing the probability to graduate from secondary schools. So as for suggestions, the

authors direct to policy makers not to leave space for reform avoidance. Consequently, crime is one of

the most negative effects of the school dropouts in the long run for society. According to Adelman &

Székely, (2016) in The World Bank School Dropout in Central America report, violent crimes are

committed by men whose education is either low or incomplete. Furthermore, studies show that there is

a relationship between the amount of time invested in school and the rate of crime. (Chioda 2013, as

cited in Adelman & Székely, 2016) In other words, the more education an individual has, the less space

for delinquency there will be in a community. There may be a positive correlation between education

and crime reduction. In general, it seems that demotivation and underachievement are key components to

understand the school dropout phenomenon. It is also fundamental to find solutions or apply nation-wide

strategies to decrease its repercussions on society.

So as to put the arguments in a more general term, it is necessary to restate the aforementioned.

Academic abandonment can result from endless, particular and detrimental factors which are faced by

scholars throughout the entire educational system. This continues to be a major defiance because of the

complexity of the issue and the multi factors involved. Significant changes must happen for the dropout

rate to be diminished. It is not an issue that seems to be solved in the few years to come, but having
 5
discussed the individual and social costs of dropouts, educational systems need to place more emphasis

on its prevention. The final recommendation pertains to government and families working together in

order to create strategies, alliances that include population at risk, financial programs to support

scholarships and laws that protect children from forced labor in order to make significant improvement

in the long term. If no action is taken soon and seriously, the societies and communities where school

dropouts are being experienced will have detrimental consequences, such as lack of competent

professionals and capable policymakers, which would end up in vulnerable and impoverished regions

without leaders and workforce able to guide the future

References
Adelman, M., & Székely, M. (2016). School Dropout in Central America: An Overview of Trends,
Causes, Consequences and Promising Interventions. World Bank Group Education Global
Practice Group. Retrieved from
https://documents1.worldbank.org/curated/en/308171468198232128/pdf/WPS7561.pdf
Chapman, C., Laird, J., & KewalRamani, A. (2011). Trends in high school dropout and completion rates
in the United States: 1972-2009. National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved from
https://nces.ed.gov/pubs2012/2012006.pdf
Görlitz, K., & Gravert, C. (2015). The Effects of Increasing the Standards of the High School
Curriculum on School Dropout. Obtenido de
https://www.econstor.eu/bitstream/10419/107553/1/dp8766.pdf
Kehm, B. M., Larsen, M. R., & H. B. (20119). Student dropout from universities in Europe: A review of
empirical literature. 9(2), 147–164. doi:https://doi.org/10.1556/063.9.2019.1.18
Oliveira, M. A.-Y., Andreia, V., Silva, C., Vera, C., Moutinho, V., Moreira, G., & Dias, G. (2017).
Higher education and the problem of abandonment – how can we keep students from leaving?
doi:10.21125/inted.2017.1690
Scipioni, J. (09 de January de 2018). 51% of college students dropped out of school due to costs, study
finds. Obtenido de https://www.foxbusiness.com/features/51-of-college-students-dropped-out-
of-school-due-to-costs-study-finds
Terrence, J., Raczek, A., Vuilleumie, C., Foley, C., Heberle, A., Sibley, E., & Dearing, E. ( 2018 ). The
Long-Term Impact of Systemic Student Support in Elementary School: Reducing High School
Dropout. 4(4). doi:DOI: 10.1177/2332858418799085
Yokozeki, Y. (1996, August). The Causes, Processes and Consequences of Student Drop-out from Junior
Secondary School (JSS) in Ghana: the case of Komenda-Edina-Eguafo-Abrem (K.E.E.A.)
district. Thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of
Philosophy . University of London. Retrieved from
https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/111073649.pdf
 1
INTRODUCTION:
Title: A Social Concern: School Dropout
Hook: Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world (Mandela,1990)
Background Information: Academic discontinuity in public or private institutions such as schools,
colleges or universities is increasingly recognized as a serious and worldwide concern and has remained
as one of the most detrimental factors in the entire Educational System. This abandonment may result in
a cycle of constant repetition of courses which hinders the assurance of learning. An accumulation of
literature over decades has strongly supported the conceivable reasons for academic discontinuity. For
instance, in the study “Higher education and the problem of abandonment – how can we keep students
from leaving?” (2017) the authors summarized twelve common root causes of the early abandonment.
Although the reasons for dropping out vary and may be unique, the costs are clearly evident in a variety
of ways: underachievement of academic competencies, employment limitations, or promotion of
delinquency (Chapman, Laird, & KewalRamani, 2011; Terrence, Raczek, Vuilleumier, Foley, Heberle,
Sibley, Dearing, 2018; Kehm, Larsen, & Hanna, 2019). However, understanding these decisions that
lead to dropping out or completing courses requires a deeper analysis. 
Thesis statement: Students´ retention throughout the educational system has been affected by common
determinant factors: financial constraints, migration, academic underachievement, and
demotivation, regardless of the type of institution, which may further result in several inhibitions to
society.

BODY PARAGRAPH:
Topic Sentence: In the pursuit of finding the root cause of academic abandonment, numerous
explanations and assumptions have been given. One accountable reason claims to be the high financial
cost incurred in intermediate education, which represents a common issue in developing countries. 
Supporting sentences
First and foremost, students' and parents’ monthly capital has been reduced due to an extreme amount
of expenses throughout the entire academic path. They invest the money that sometimes is destined to
home basic services, in tuition fees, textbooks, school supplies, and transportation. Jade Scipioni (2018),
in her article: “51% of college students dropped out of school due to costs, study finds”, published in
FoxBusiness, reported results of a survey conducted by LendEDU, an online student loan refinancing
company, in which financial constraints highlight as the main reason of the dropout. Moreover,
students, whose college application is denied in public institutions, conclude investing in private
universities in order to gain access to a higher education. For instance, private education in Nicaragua is
privileged. Students who lack opportunities at public national universities pay around a thousand dollars
per year and they do not receive enough support such as scholarships and discounts. For instance, in the
exploratory research conducted by the university of Aveiro. The authors stated that students who drop
their studies, it is mainly because they do not qualify for financial support such as scholarships. As a
result, they obtain part-time jobs that affect their study habits and routine. All this workload is
overwhelming and finally leads to dropouts (Oliveira et al, 2017) Furthermore, students from rural
areas are also affected since they cannot afford secondary education and as a result they start working at
an early age. In a study conducted by the World Bank, School Dropouts in Central America (2016) by
Melissa Adelman Miguel Székely. The authors establish the relationship between high cost of education
and the increase of informal labor force in the countryside. This means that parents send their kids to
work because they are needed for agricultural work, factories and other areas in which children can work
and make money immediately rather than investing in school.  In Nicaragua more than 40% of dropouts
happen when students are about to start high school education. One major drawback of this is that
students who abandon school certainly engage in economic activities and have less probabilities to return
to class. Once kids get a job, they become part of the family labor force.
Concluding Sentence
In brief, dropouts are part of a major problem for society because it affects the development of countries
in the long term. The negative impact of financial difficulties can be observed in the school dropout in
the countryside for primary and secondary education. 

BODY PARAGRAPH:
Topic Sentence Academic discontinuity is an increasingly urgent educational issue, and migration
constitutes a pull factor that promotes school abandonment.
 2
Supporting sentences
Details (consequence)
Concluding sentence

BODY PARAGRAPH:
Topic Sentence: Although it has been discussed potential factors that lead to dropout, the claim that
academic underachievement and demotivation rank in the top causes of abandonment is not left behind. 
Supporting Sentences
The lack of relevant and meaningful content is the key to understanding school dropouts. The absence of
interesting contents, appealing for the students, and that cover the individual needs is missing in the
system of education. For instance, national curriculum design is disadvantageous for rural students, since
it is supposed to meet international standards (as cited in Yokozeki, 1996, p97). It does not cater to
students’ context and reality, but focuses on the urban area instead.  In addition, students who face
difficulties in achieving outcomes due to the high expectations of the curriculum get academic frustration
and demotivation. The research “The Effects of Increasing the Standards of the High School Curriculum
on School Dropout” conducted by Katja Görlitz and Christina Gravert (2015), discussed both sides of
adding reform of high standards to the current curriculum, which on one hand increased the level of core
subjects, but on the other hand, it was a push factor of abandonment in both genres: females and males,
reducing the probability to graduate from secondary schools. So as for suggestions, the authors direct to
policy makers not to leave space for reform avoidance. Consequently, crime is one of the most negative
effects of the school dropouts in the long run for society. According to Adelman & Székely, (2016) in The
World Bank School Dropout in Central America report, violent crimes are committed by men whose
education is either low or incomplete. Furthermore, studies show that there is a relationship between the
amount of time invested in school and the rate of crime. (Chioda 2013, as cited in Adelman & Székely,
2016)  In other words, the more education an individual has, the less space for delinquency there will be in
a community. There may be a positive correlation between education and crime reduction.
Concluding Sentence: In general, it seems that demotivation and underachievement are key components
to understand the school dropout phenomenon. It is also fundamental to find solutions or apply nation-
wide strategies to decrease its repercussions on society.

CONCLUSION:
So as to put the arguments in a more general term, it is necessary to restate the aforementioned. Academic
abandonment can result from endless, particular and detrimental factors which are faced by scholars
throughout the entire educational system. This continues to be a major defiance because of the complexity
of the issue and the multi factors involved. Significant changes must happen for the dropout rate to be
diminished. It is not an issue that seems to be solved in the few years to come, but having discussed the
individual and social costs of dropouts, educational systems need to place more emphasis on its
prevention. The final recommendation pertains to government and families working together in order to
create strategies, alliances that include population at risk, financial programs to support scholarships and
laws that protect children from forced labor in order to make significant improvement in the long term. If
no action is taken soon and seriously, the societies and communities where school dropouts are being
experienced will have detrimental consequences, such as lack of competent professionals and capable
policymakers, which would end up in vulnerable and impoverished regions without leaders and workforce
able to guide the future