Rate of Secondary School Dropout in Oman

Rate of Secondary School Dropout in Oman

Abstract

The critical reasons for the student to be involved in school dropouts from secondary school might have been poor socialization skills, low academic performance, busy social life, financial issues, and low confidence levels. There has been an increase in the rate of students’ dropout, so there it is crucial to raise issue and solutions related to the matter. The overall research objectives for this study is to discover designs in dropout information at Foundation platform, create criteria for categorizing student at threat of dropout and classify regions of enhancement for lowering the level of secondary student dropout in Oman. Research methodology comprising of applies of analytical research based on the evaluation of secondary information pertaining two academic terms according to the education structure of Oman. The resultant findings reveal that 1997 students dropped out entirely from Foundation platform in the ongoing study duration with an average of 90 students to dropout per semester. Dropout level was high among the male and was more at different levels of the secondary course. It is therefore recommended that it is essential to build up dropout committed, that will act as a warning structure in the Foundation programs.

Chapter 1: Introduction

Background

An efficacy secondary educational ecosystem of the state purposes at integrating the community into skilled society. In their effort to effect skills and also enrich the students with important information, the secondary schools not only require to form high helpfulness programs and even courses, but they also target at rising student enrolment and student maintenance by emphasizing both non-academic and academic matters. While academic subjects comprise, learning facilities, development of programs, non-academic issues entail, overall facilities which are equal importance for the success of secondary school education. An institution can gain growth in relations to the number of academic actions performed, some platforms delivered, and universal collaborations, enhanced in research, training and consultancy activities and most essentially the total number of student registration (Al-Saadoon, Al-Farsi, Rizvi, Al-Sharbati, Al-Jabri, Almamari & Al-Adawi, 2014). According to the Cambridge dictionary, secondary school dropout is a trend among students to leave the institution before even completing in the usual way.

Research Questions: How can the government assist in decreasing the rate of secondary school student dropout in Oman?

Research Objectives

This institutional research study on student dropout at the Foundation stage at attaining the following objectives

• To discover the trends and patterns in student dropout from within the foundation;
• To create a situation for understanding the learners at risk from dropping off the foundation;
• To establish a recommendation for the students holding at the foundation.

Chapter 2: Literature Review

In most researches on dropouts, holding students till they complete their titled qualification has societal importance. One essential element to indicate is that those who progress had better skills with life at school than when compared to those dropouts (Islam, 2015). Moreover, student-connected factors that impact dropout contains terrible behavior, lack of self-esteem, poor academic performance, to recognize a few. As dropout risks turn to be a severe issue in education and students, then there is need to classify the influence that mostly leads to a student dropping out or failure, poor socialization knowledge, low confidence concerning their potential to complete responsibilities and complicated social life, like marriage. Secondary school student dropout rate has been increased along with the chart as of many student’s dropouts even before completing their corresponding education courses (Islam & Al-Ghassani, 2015). This issue doesn’t happen in developing states, but it also seeming in developed nations such as Ireland and the United Kingdom, has been recording a high rate of dropouts.

The government of Oman state has been assisting secondary schools through scholarships, which aims at improving the quality workforce to the firms. There has been a substantial increase in the total number of secondary schools together with the intake of new students in Oman over the previous two century. Hence, this task has faced an unpredicted issue, a raising number of student dropout from the institutions. With estimated that more than 10,000 students are said to have dropped out from secondary school between the year 2014-2016, figures show that an average of approximately 6,000 students leaves institutions each year in Oman. According to the approved statistics, secondary students’ dropouts is a severe problem that has been building avoidance in gaining the higher education mission of the administration in Oman. The statistics also reveal that seriousness of the issue and the special request consideration by all involved stakeholders of secondary education in Oman (Thumiki, 2019).

Chapter 3: Methodology

Data Collection Methods

This section discusses the research methodology for this paper, and it entails of account of methods of data collection used, and that was secondary data analysis. This type of data set creates a vital contribution to knowing the problem and also identifying answers. The total number of secondary students registered in the foundation program in a time of the study, out of the 1997 students reported having dropped out. Secondary data concerning the dropout students were gathered from the foundation database department of the secondary institutions. Several data views were determined for the analysis comprising semester dropped, level left, whether full time or part-time, gender, course studied, details of the sponsor along the path of study.

Questionnaire Design

The study involved the use of a questionnaire as a method of collecting information regarding the rate of secondary school dropouts. Questionnaire spreadsheets with several questions about the reasons for dropouts were filled by a sample of 1000 students from these institutions. It comprised the level of performance, financial sources, level of socialization and other related questions about school dropout.

Description of Sample Population

In the summary of the sample data used, it is essential to use small data sample to allow the efficiency of the study. Extensive data sample results to a descriptive significance in data analysis, thus resulting in poor evaluation and interpretation. In our study, a sample of 1997 students were the involved participants of the study.

Chapter 4: Data Analysis and Interpretation

The dropout of 1997 out of 15598 students shows 12.7 percentage dropout from the foundation. Data presented indicate visually that there is a rise in the average of 90 students per semester within the study duration. Most crucial, during this time, five students paid to be registered, but they did not adhere to the course of the program. Although these results not approximated within the possibility of the study, it establishes the want for additional research to discover out if there is the existence of a connection between the related behavior and the dropout behavior. Commonly female students are termed to added at MCBS. It is estimated that around 75% are females. But under this case, the dropout is not proportional.

Chapter 5: Recommendations

This section offers valuable workable and suggestions solutions for hindering reoccurrence of the issue from reducing the rate of recurring of the problem. The recommendations include as follows:

1. Establish a dropout system flow-chart
2. Collect dropout data
3. Redesign, the form made for clearance
4. Suggestions associated with database about student dropout
5. Advising and also mentoring for the students participating in the foundation programs.

Chapter 6: Conclusion

In most cases, dropout is not a common phenomenon. There might be several reasons for secondary student dropout from education. Diverse methods like RCA-Route Cause Evaluation are accessible to examine the issue and even find practical solutions. The existing research was, therefore conducted to see some of the reasons behind student dropout from the foundation. The institutional learning offers approaches into the problem. The key objectives of this study are to contrary to the patterns of dropouts, hold more students and also increase persistence. This is a requirement to build enthusiasm between depressed students and those engaged in academic progression.

References

Al-Saadoon, M., Al-Farsi, Y. M., Rizvi, S., Al-Sharbati, M., Al-Jabri, A., Almamari, S., … & Al-Adawi, S. (2014). The magnitude and impact of bullying among school pupils in Muscat, Oman: A cross-sectional study. The Scientific World Journal, 2014.

Islam, M. M. (2015). The effects of low birth weight on school performance and behavioral outcomes of elementary school children in Oman. Oman medical journal, 30(4), 241.

Islam, M. M., & Al-Ghassani, A. (2015). Predicting College Math Success: Do High School Performance and Gender Matter? Evidence from Sultan Qaboos University in Oman. International Journal of Higher Education, 4(2), 67-80.

Thumiki, V. R. R. (2019). Student Dropout from Foundation Program at Modern College of Business & Science, Sultanate of Oman. International Journal of Higher Education, 8(5).