Ultimately, learners do not drop out on a whim. Instead, they are pushed or pulled away from school by factors beyond their control. But what are these factors that cause so many learners to drop out each year?
Drawing on interviews, poetry and art-making, we describe the everyday obstacles and victories of learners in their own words as well as the stories of the teachers, families and communities that surround them. In doing so, we make visible the many barriers that learners are up against on their journey through school.
Understanding these contextual factors that drive disengagement and dropout will better equip all of us to crowd in the support that learners need to stay in and succeed in school.
