Factors Contributing to Students’ Dropout in Laya Central School in Bhutan

Abstract

The trend of students dropping out of school has been increasing yearly. They dropped out of school without completing the highest grade level. Thus, school dropout has been a major concern that creates an alarming phenomenon in the education sector specifically the district administrators. The education policies should have to be realigned to address this pressing problem. This paper explored the reasons or factors that contribute to students dropping out of school, particularly at Laya Central School in Gasa, Bhutan. Moreover, it tried to find out the solutions to minimize or prevent students’ dropouts. The findings are drawn from data collected from 188 participants which include the teachers, parents, dropout students, and school-going students. The participants were selected randomly by assigning a number to their names using a random table of numbers. The questionnaire and semi-structured interview guide were used to collect the data. Numerical data were analyzed using SPSS and presented through descriptive statistics that includes frequency and percentage. The major reasons for school dropout are household responsibilities, family education, early marriage, and pregnancy.  It is concluded that parental advice and support in education are vital to minimize or prevent students from dropping out the school. Therefore, the author highly suggests that the school should create and provide a state-of-the-art learning environment so it builds a stronger relationship between the teachers-students-parents, thus, captivating students’ interest to learn and not drop from school.