Factors that affect school dropout after the covid-19 pandemic in basic education institutions in the canton of Loja-Ecuador

Abstract

Introduction: Education in times of pandemic, became a challenge for children and adolescents, parents and teachers, where the possibility of continuing with the teaching system propitiated positive and also negative aspects; in addition to the presence of economic, social, cultural, educational and emotional factors, same that caused instability in the teaching-learning process of children and adolescents of basic education schools in Loja canton. Objective: The present research raised as an objective to identify the factors that affect school dropout, after pandemic covid-19. Methodology: The research methodology applied in this study was through field work, using a quantitative approach. For the collection of information, surveys were conducted by means of forms, to 31 parents of dropout students and 65 teachers among all educational institutions. Results: As a result, it was obtained that students dropped out of the educational system due to factors such as: parents with limited schooling to guide academic activities, lack of motivation from parents to children, disinterest on the part of the child or adolescent to continue with the learning process, difficulty in adapting to changes, lack of employment of parents, not managing strategies for virtual education, lack of support and commitment of parents or legal representatives, special educational needs, curriculum does not respond to the interests and needs of children, lack of strategies to keep children motivated and negative emotional states such as frustration, sadness, anxiety, irritability and fear. Conclusion: As a result of the beginning of the covid-19 pandemic, the phenomenon of school desertion worsened in the basic education institutions of the city of Loja, reflecting high rates in all school cycles despite the implementation of a series of strategies at the national level.