From school dropout to school dropout to broaden contextual understanding: A reading from the theory of social fields
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Keywords
Early school leaving, School dropout, Capitals, Habitus, School trajectories
Abstract
The article aims to broaden the understanding of the phenomenon of “early school leaving” instead of using the term “school dropout”, drawing on Pierre Bourdieu’s theory of social fields. It argues that school abandonment is the result of multiple structural factors, including economic, social, and educational inequalities, particularly in rural areas.
In this context, the case of the department of Tolima (Colombia) is analyzed, where the school dropout rate has shown a concerning increase: from 5.2% in 2019 to 6.8% in 2022, surpassing the national average. In 2024, the dropout rate in secondary education was 1.3 percentage points higher than the national average, highlighting a deeper structural issue.
The structure of the educational system favors the retention of students with greater economic, cultural, and social capital, while those in vulnerable conditions face barriers to access and continuity.
The study shows that rural schools have fewer resources, less trained teachers, and conditions that hinder learning. Furthermore, the urban educational system imposes demands that do not always align with rural realities. It concludes that the term “school abandonment” is more accurate, and that adaptive policies are needed to reduce educational exclusion and promote the continued enrollment of young people in the school system.
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Miguel Alejandro Gómez Rengifo, Catholic University of Pereira, Colombia
Doctoral student in Human Development Education at the Catholic University of Pereira (UCP), Pereira, Colombia. Master's degree in Education from the University of Tolima, Ibagué, Colombia; specialist in Project Evaluation and Development from the University of Rosario, Bogotá, Colombia; agro-industrial engineer from the University of Tolima, Ibagué. Principal of the Riomanso Educational Institution, Rovira, Colombia.
Oscar Armando Jaramillo G., University of Manizales, Colombia
Postdoctoral Fellow in Social Sciences, Childhood and Youth at the Latin American Council of Social Sciences (CLACSO). PhD in Social Sciences, Childhood and Youth from the University of Manizales-CINDE; Master's in Education and Human Development from the University of Manizales-CINDE; Master's in Human Sciences from the University of Paris-Est Créteil Val de Marne; Master's in Social Sciences from the University of Caldas; Psychologist from the Catholic University of Pereira (UCP). Professor in the Faculty of Education Sciences at the Technological University of Pereira (UPTC); Professor in the Political Socialization and Subjectivity Construction track of the PhD program in Social Sciences, Childhood and Youth-CINDE.