ABSTRACT
The study aimed to determine the demographic profile and factors affecting learners at-risk of dropping out as bases for intervention program in Cabatuan National Comprehensive High School during the school year 2019 – 2020. The participants of the study were ten (10) junior high school learners who were at risk of dropping out. A qualitative research design using phenomenological analysis was used in this study. After conducting in-depth interview, among the learners, it was subjected into interpretation and analysis. After collecting all the responses, the researcher extracted themes from the responses. These were skipping of classes or truancy, playing computer games at the computer cafe, illness, child work, lack of financial support, peer relations, absenteeism, loitering, staying at the computer shop and billiard house and lack of parental support and supervision. These identified factors were the bases for intervention program known as Project CHAMP (Comprehensive and Holistic Approach in Monitoring and Parental Support) for LARDOS (Learners at Risk of Dropping Out).
Keywords: Factors, Affecting Learners, At Risk, Dropout, Intervention Program
INTRODUCTION
The percentage of students that leaves school in a single year without finishing a particular level of education is known as the dropout rate. Dropout rates are used to calculate the proportion of students who do not complete their education. High school completion rates are a way to gauge the proportion of students who have earned a diploma or its equivalent (Stark, 2015).
As to the data provided by the Philippines Statistics Authority, the dropout rate refers to the percentage of students who discontinue their education for various reasons.
Most of these studies highlighted the student as the problem's primary cause along with issues relating to their families, peers, communities, and schooling. Teenage pregnancy was blamed for many occurrences of female adolescent dropouts (Cavanaugh, 2007).
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) is to enable access to inclusive, open to all, high-quality education for all people and to support opportunities for lifelong learning. A quality education is key in reaching other SDGs and Philippines is one in attaining this considering that its education system is geared towards providing access to quality basic education to all especially the marginalized learners including the balik-aral and learners at risk of dropping out.
The most common reasons for dropping out are lack of interest, unsupportable parents, financial constraints, social and economic pressures, and peer pressure.
Based on the Annual Poverty Indicators Survey 2014 of National Statistics Office were lack of personal interest, employment or job search, expensive education, academic disengagement, no secondary schools in the barangay, child labor and lack of transportation are among the reasons why leaners choose not to enroll in high school.
In line with this, the researcher is prompted by the idea to conduct research for the Grade 8 learners who are at risk of dropping out of Cabatuan National Comprehensive High School for the school year 2019 - 2020. The challenges involve among the learners who are at risk of dropping out by providing an intervention program and to overcome the learners at risk of dropping out.
Implement systemic interventions, foster collaborative partnerships, increase parental and family participation, and create a stimulating learning environment to cater the at-risk of dropping learners. It may also mitigate the possible increase in the number of future learners who may experience the same problems.
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