Dropout Rate

The indicator measures the proportion of children who were enrolled in, but do not complete (or drop out from) a given grade or level in a given school year/NFE cycle/project period.

1) Determine the point in time at which data will be collected for the baseline/endline of the project (i.e. the start/end of the project, the start/end of the school year/NFE cycle, after the first 3 months of the school year (when numbers are more stabilised, etc). that works best for the project). Where the action/activity being measured continues or builds on a previous project or intervention, consider utilising the previous data as a baseline or to measure ongoing change and impact over a longer time period.

2) Determine the baseline value of the number of children enrolled in a school or learning space at that point in time (see ‘Enrolment’ indicator for how to collect this data).

3) At the endline stage, gather enrolment data from school or learning spaces records to measure the number of children who have dropped out of the school or learning space. If the data isn’t available from the schools or learning spaces, collect data from parents/caregivers by conducting individual interviews, household surveys or sample-based enrolment verification surveys (telephone or in person) with a representative sample of the target group members.

RECOMMENDED SURVEY QUESTIONS (Q) AND POSSIBLE ANSWERS (A):

Q1: Was/were your child/children enrolled in school/NFE learning space at the start of the school year/NFE cycle?

A1: Yes – enrolled in formal education / Yes- enrolled in NFE / No – was not enrolled in education / Don’t know / Refuse to answer

Q2: At [specify the time period] was/were your child/children still enrolled in school/NFE learning space?

A2: Yes – enrolled in formal education / Yes- enrolled in NFE / No – was not enrolled in education / Don’t know / Refuse to answer

Q3: Why did your child/children drop out of school/NFE learning space?

A3: (open response) (end interview)

4) Divide the number of children who dropped out of education at endline by the number of children who were enrolled at baseline. Multiply the resulting number by 100 to get the percentage of children who dropped out of education by the end of the action/school years/non-formal education (NFE) cycle.

For example: Last year, 100 children were registered in Grade 7. At the end of the year, 95 children are still enrolled in Grade 7. This means 5 children have dropped out of Grade 7. Divide the number of dropped out children (5) by the total number of children who were registered in Grade 7 (100). This equals a 5% dropout rate (5 / 100 = 5%).

Disaggregation of the data can be done by location, age group, gender, level of education, type of learning space, ethnicity, mother tongue, wealth quintile, disability, displacement status and or other specific vulnerable groups, as relevant.

Disaggregation of data by disability type should use the Washington Group Short Set on Functioning (or for actions with specialised responses to disabilities use the complete WG/UNICEF Child Functioning Module) or equivalent.

1) Data should be collected at the same points in time in each school year/NFE cycle or project period and should be the same across each grade or level so it is comparable (for example, at the start and end of a school year/NFE cycle or project period or at the start of each school year/NFE cycle if the project period includes multiple school years/NFE cycles).

2) Drop out can often occur between school years/NFE cycles. For multi-year/cycle projects, consider also measuring dropout at the start of the subsequent school year/NFE cycle to determine the number of children who have dropped out of education in the period between the years/cycles as well as during the school year/cycle/project period. Note that there may be children who are repeating the same grade as the previous year/cycle and these children should not be counted towards the number of children who have dropped out of education.

For example: Last year, 100 children were registered in Grade 7. This year, 95 children are registered in Grade 8 but 5 of them are repeating the grade (i.e. they were in grade 8 the previous year and are doing it again). This means 90 children have transitioned from Grade 7 to Grade 8. Subtract these 90 children from the 100 that were in Grade 7, meaning 10 children have dropped out between Grade 7 and Grade 8. Divide the number of dropped out children (10) by the total number of children who were registered in Grade 7 (100). This equals a 10% dropout rate (10 / 100 = 10%).

3) Drop out can be measured at critical grades or levels when the highest numbers of dropouts occur.  Which grades or levels are the most common for high dropout rates will vary depending on the context.

4) If possible, consider assessing the main reasons for drop out.

5) There are some common errors in data collection worth noting, such as over-reporting enrolment; children repeating grades or levels; incorrect distinction between new entrants and children repeating grades or levels; transfers of children between grades or levels and schools or learning spaces. Appropriate tracking measures should be in place to ensure that these factors are recorded and considered when determining the final drop out figures.

6) Maximum dropout levels can be determined by the educational authorities and/or be used as a basis for school or learning space performance evaluation and for fund allocations. In such circumstances different interests can be involved in dropout calculations and care should be taken in interpreting this indicator, especially when there is no control over the data collection and recording.

7) Dropout rate is closely linked to other related indicators, including Transition to formal education/further non-formal education and Retention rate.  

8) Related indicators: 

     INEE

        - 2.1 Net attendance rate

     ECHO

        - KOI: % of targeted girls and boys who are retained in education at the end of the action (see Retention indicator)

        - KOI: % targeted girls and boys for non-formal education (NFE) who successfully transition (1) into formal education from non-formal education (NFE), or (2) advance into the next level of NFE or (3) into the next academic year of formal education (see ‘Transition to Formal/Further Non-formal Education’ indicator)

     Sustainable Development Goals (SDG)

        - 4.1.2 Completion rate (primary education, lower secondary education, upper secondary education)

     UNRWA

        - cumulative drop-out rates for displaced UNRWA students