Page 182 - Štremfel, Urška, and Maša Vidmar (eds.). 2018. Early School Leaving: Contemporary European Perspectives. Ljubljana: Pedagoški inštitut.
P. 182
ear ly school leaving: contempor ary european perspectives
unemployment does not depend on one’s qualification they may become
more likely to leave school. Yet, if they notice that adults holding qualifica-
tions experience fewer problems in the labour market, they might be more
likely to stay at school (de Witte et al., 2013).
The evidence reviewed in this article shows that the socio-econom-
ic segregation of schools and early tracking are linked to an increased risk
for ESL. Grade retention is another risk factor, although timing (at the pri-
mary or secondary level) and opportunities provided during the retention
year play a role.
The transition from the primary to secondary level is problematic for
the following aspects: traditional style of academic teaching, lack of rele-
vance of pathways and too rigid curriculum, disconnection from labour
market needs, lack of permeability between pathways (academic, techni-
cal, vocational). Together with the disruption in social relationships with
adults, the secondary school context changes in a way that is developmen-
tally less appropriate for early adolescents and may lead to disengagement
and ESL. Thus, the school needs to keep pace with students’ growing ma-
turity and changing emotional, cognitive and social needs as they move
through the education system in order to ensure they are providing an en-
gaging context. Moreover, access to high-quality ECEC and a wide range of
relevant and high-quality VET play the role of protective factors. The need
for a coherent and well-balanced education system (i.e. all parts of the ed-
ucation system from preschool to tertiary education fit together well and
function in synergy) across all educational levels is also warranted. The ed-
ucation system should be diverse, yet not fragmented. Having said this, the
results do not imply that it is easy to formulate policies seeking to bring
about suitable changes in this area.
To conclude, several points are important when discussing system-lev-
el (policy) ESL factors:
- the need for divergent policy proposals reflecting different per-
ceptions of the reasons for ESL (disaffection, non-participation
and social exclusion) (Petrušauskaitė, 2010);
- the need for evaluation in terms of the effectiveness and success
of the many diverse ESL policies and measures on the nation-
al level recently implemented in light of the Europe 2020 head-
line target to bring ESL rates down to 10%; thus helping to make
182
unemployment does not depend on one’s qualification they may become
more likely to leave school. Yet, if they notice that adults holding qualifica-
tions experience fewer problems in the labour market, they might be more
likely to stay at school (de Witte et al., 2013).
The evidence reviewed in this article shows that the socio-econom-
ic segregation of schools and early tracking are linked to an increased risk
for ESL. Grade retention is another risk factor, although timing (at the pri-
mary or secondary level) and opportunities provided during the retention
year play a role.
The transition from the primary to secondary level is problematic for
the following aspects: traditional style of academic teaching, lack of rele-
vance of pathways and too rigid curriculum, disconnection from labour
market needs, lack of permeability between pathways (academic, techni-
cal, vocational). Together with the disruption in social relationships with
adults, the secondary school context changes in a way that is developmen-
tally less appropriate for early adolescents and may lead to disengagement
and ESL. Thus, the school needs to keep pace with students’ growing ma-
turity and changing emotional, cognitive and social needs as they move
through the education system in order to ensure they are providing an en-
gaging context. Moreover, access to high-quality ECEC and a wide range of
relevant and high-quality VET play the role of protective factors. The need
for a coherent and well-balanced education system (i.e. all parts of the ed-
ucation system from preschool to tertiary education fit together well and
function in synergy) across all educational levels is also warranted. The ed-
ucation system should be diverse, yet not fragmented. Having said this, the
results do not imply that it is easy to formulate policies seeking to bring
about suitable changes in this area.
To conclude, several points are important when discussing system-lev-
el (policy) ESL factors:
- the need for divergent policy proposals reflecting different per-
ceptions of the reasons for ESL (disaffection, non-participation
and social exclusion) (Petrušauskaitė, 2010);
- the need for evaluation in terms of the effectiveness and success
of the many diverse ESL policies and measures on the nation-
al level recently implemented in light of the Europe 2020 head-
line target to bring ESL rates down to 10%; thus helping to make
182
