SCHOOL-COMMUNITY INTERRELATIONS AND SCHOOL DROPOUTS: TOWARDS DEVELOPING SUITABLE EDUCATION PROCESSES FOR REMOTE AREAS CHILDREN

Abstract

This study carried out an analysis of the interplay between children’s life at school and in their
community as an effort to identify factors responsible for school dropouts. The study was guided by the
Socio Ecological Model and it took place in one remote area in Botswana which is plagued by high
rates of students’ dropouts from primary school. The findings identified a number of incompatibilities
between the way the school operates and the community’s socio-cultural practices and economic
lifestyle. The findings also pointed to a lack of relationship between the school and the community
leading to failure to meet each other’s needs and consequently resulting in school dropouts. This study
adds to the debate on standardized education processes and argues that school dropouts in nonmainstream
settings can be curbed through adapting education practices to the needs of the local
communities and empowering them to actively participate in school related issues.