School Dropout Monitoring Slovakia CIES Conference, Honolulu March 2006

1. School Dropout MonitoringSlovakiaCIES Conference, HonoluluMarch 2006 Center for Education Policy by Marcela Maslova marcelam@projectorava.sk

2. Defining School Dropouts on the compulsory education level • Difficulty to make the line between dropping out and truancy • International definitions of school dropouts are stricter - Slovakia officially does not acknowledge or record dropping out during 10-year-long compulsory education, i.e. typically between 6 -16 years of age • Slovakia definition: student leaving the school system without finishing primary school (grade 9)

3. Recording of School Dropouts in Slovakia • Data collected by the Institute of Statistics and Prognosis in Education under the MoEd: • statistics available on student absenses per year, • statistics available on grade repetition, • statistics available on children completing compulsory education without finishing primary school. • Lack of data on dropouts prior to finishing compulsory education years.

4. Stakeholder’s perspective Question: Who is responsible for the dropout problem in our country?

5. The whole society: parents, teachers, school administrators, Ministry of Education.(Alzbeta Bernatova, National Pedagogic Institute)

6. First of all the parent (or the guardian)! In a wider context also school and other institutions organizing leisure time activities of young people.(Miriam Trupova, Coordinator of criminal prevention, Regional Authority and Frantisek Sinka, Board of the Slovak Government – criminal prevention)

7. This problem should be approached by new policy, novelisation of the law. I think that first of all Government and Ministry of Education is responsible. Then also teachers, principals, school administrators and parents.(Nora Lepejova, School Councelling Center)

8. Family and Social Circumstances of Dropout Children • Questionnaire conducted on a sample of 253 children, their parents and teachers • low education of parents: majority of parents of dropout children have only 8 years of school, only 1 % attended school for 16 years • large families: 63 % of dropout children come from families with 4 and more children • poverty: 97 % of the families of dropout children live on less than 20 000 SKK per month

9. Predicators of dropping out • Behavioral problems: • aggressiveness, psychological and emotional problems • Social relationships: • bad relationships with teachers, few or no friends in school • School motivation, school results: • low belief in value of education, passive in classroom • Family - school cooperation: • lack of communication, cooperation, support of education

10. Slovakia‘s recent legislative measures and continued challenges • 2002 Amendment to the School Law: • position of teacher assistant introduced • preparatory grade included into school system • 2003 Regulation: • child benefits withheld if child has more than 15 hours of unexcused absense in school per month • Regional differences: • education, social and economic levels differ among regions • Roma community • UNDP data for 1999: 63 % without completed primary education • Insufficient and confusing system of education opportunities for school dropouts

11. Recommendations • New legislation: new school law, transparent and effective system of alternative second chance schools, courses, supporting school governance and local governments • Improving cooperation: community and social work and councelling, communication and cooperation between school and family, support cooperation between individual institutions • Supporting teacher education and in-service: individualized approach of children, interactive teaching methods to support school motivation and school results • Data collection: ensure system of information on school dropouts on a yearly basis prior finishing of compulsory education years • Create a clear and effective system of second chance schools and courses: allow alternative education pathways

12. Thank you for your attention! ***