Familia y educación: percepciones y expectativas ante la deserción escolar en el subnivel superior en una zona rural

Abstract

This research analyzes school dropout in rural areas, focusing on how family perceptions and expectations influence upper secondary school abandonment. Using a qualitative approach and the ethnographic method, students and their parents from an educational institution in the Azogues canton, Ecuador, were selected to study the impact of these perceptions on the decisión to leave school. Through open-ended interviews and focus groups, the data were analyzed using MAXQDA software. The results reveal that family expectations, low academic performance, lack of teacher support, economic conditions, and transportation difficulties are key factors in school dropout. Other contributing factors include a lack of information about the educational system, parental abandonment, addictions in the home, and single-parent family structures. Social and cultural pressures, such as child labor, low parental educational attainment, and early marriages, also contribute to school dropout. The research concludes that all these factors are determinants of school dropout in rural areas of Ecuador. A multidimensional approach is recommended to address school dropout, improving educational quality, fostering family involvement, and promoting gender equality. Proposed strategies include implementing a participatory curriculum, offering tutoring, community projects, and collaboration between rural and urban schools.