Dropping Out: What Are Schools Doing To Prevent It?

Marina Videnović

Ivana Stepanović Ilić

Zora Krnjaić

Sažetak

This paper approaches the occurrence of dropout as a consequence of social and academic disengagement from school. Starting from this theoretical position, we analysed responses made by employees (principals, teachers, school counsellors) from primary and secondary schools regarding intervention actions undertaken when there is a risk of a student dropping out of school. The analysed data were collected by in-depth interviews and focus groups. Responses were then classified using thematic content analysis. The existing system of prevention programs s are most often not aimed at all aspects of this phenomenon and in the course of their implementation unsatisfactory level of cooperation between different institutions has been observed. The preventative actions constructed at school level, sometimes take the shape of pseudohelp for students in the form of justifying their absences from school or awarding them higher marks than they deserve. Prevention programs listed by employees are not aimed at increasing students’ social engagement despite a significant number of findings that prove the importance of this kind of integration.

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