CAUSES OF STUDENTS’ DROPOUT AT ELEMENTARY LEVEL IN PAKISTAN

Abstract

This study aims to find out the causes of students dropout. According to Kotwal “A dropout is considered, a student who for any reason other than death leaves school before graduation without transferring to another school”. Kotwal (2007). The ratio of students’ dropout in Pakistan is also increasing day by day, especially at the elementary level in government schools. To collect the data on causes of students’ dropout from government elementary schools a questionnaire is developed. The responses of teachers and parents were computed in figures and further qualitatively analyzed. According to 89% teachers’ agreed that death and migration of parents is the major factor affecting the students’ dropout from schools, further 80% agreed that lack of parents’ interest, 65% agreed on the factor of poverty and 60% of teachers are blaming the governmental educational policies. Further according to 79% of parents’ domestic, social crises and bad environment are great causes in students’ retention from school.  According to 69% of parents, carelessness and lack of awareness in parents are increasing students’ retention from school. On the other side, 84% of parents consider that poor academic performance affects students mind and they have to leave school. Further, 75% of parents agreed that social vices: drug abuse, alcoholism, and sex-related cases also affect students’ dropout. 61% of parents believed that failure/refusal to live under authority/rules in schools/examination are malpractices effect on students’ dropout. According to 88% of parents, lack of government interest and capitalism are also affecting students’ dropout. The findings of the study reveal that a lot of factors like financial problems, lack of government interest and fake policies, social factors, poverty, migration and death of parents effecting on the students' dropout from government schools in Pakistan.