Correlates of premature school leavers in secondary school

Abstract

Why do students leave or why do they stay, and what appears to make the difference? This study seeks to explore the answers to these questions by comparing the difference in the correlates among the premature school leavers and the well-adjusted students. The main focus of this research is to determine how school, family and personal factors affect the choice of staying on or dropping out of school. The sample of the study consists of 30 premature school leavers and 45 well-adjusted students. The t-test was used to determine whether there were any significant differences between the correlates of the premature school leavers and the well-adjusted group of pupils. Tests for statistical differences in the two groups were carried out across the independent variables. The purpose for comparison was to sieve out the pertinent correlate which contemporary studies have identified.