Back to school: From dropout to Second Chance Schools

Abstract

In this article, we explore the reasons why individuals who have dropped out of compulsory education in Greece return as adults to the educational system, particularly to Second Chance Schools. Second Chance Schools were planned and funded by the European Union two decades ago so that member states could offset the consequences of student dropout rates and counter social exclusion. In order to answer the question, during the school year 2018–1019, we carried out 23 semi-structured interviews with individuals who were attending Second Chance Schools in the prefecture of Eleia (Western Greece) or had graduated in previous years. The interviews were analysed using the Qualitative Content Analysis method. Four categories of reasons emerged from the analysis (instrumental reasons, inner needs, combined reasons and the influence of ‘significant others’) which reflect the varied ways of perceiving and utilizing Second Chance Schools. Although the majority of the participants belong to financially and socially impoverished strata, they do not face unemployment or marginalization. The use of the institution of Second Chance Schools in this particular area seems to be moving from reasons associated with social exclusion towards the fulfilment of other needs that were created by dropping out of compulsory education.

Supporting second chance education: Drop‐in students' views on educational barriers and needs to study

“…These SCE practices, greatly valued by drop-in students, urge us to further contemplate the design of education and to challenge the rigid, conventional organization of schooling such as grade-level or academic systems (Bowers, 2010;Kearney, 2019) and using academic tracking systems to divide student populations in education (Hanushek & Wossmann, 2006;Ogawa, 2023). Second-chance educational practices may hence inspire first-chance education schools to focus more on skills, knowledge, and attitudes needed and valued in adult life, such as proficiency in working with new and digital technologies, communicating in foreign languages, planning and problem-solving, and focusing on personal growth (Kearney et al, 2023;Kiprianos & Mpourgos, 2020). As such, the SCE-pedagogy aligns with pleas for 're-imagining schooling for education' (McGregor et al, 2017), where the focus is not on 'learning for school', but on 'learning for life' (Koludrović & Ercegovac, 2023;Lavrijsen & Nicaise, 2017).…”

The Significance of Visual Literacy in Second Chance Schools in Greece

“…Understanding the reasons why individuals return to school allows factors such as society, peers, family and economic needs to become an integral part of the learning process, while implementing visual learning to remove any barriers that may contribute to the demotivation of participants. This is where the study by Kiprianos and Mpourgos (2022) becomes a valuable tool in recognising the population that participates in second chance education, allowing for the development of approaches and the implementation of learning methods that would be beneficial, providing skills that will be used in today's ever changing society. Needs related to personal development and self-improvement were identified, while the contribution of significant others in the return process was crucial.…”

“…The multifaceted nature of these reasons is reflected in the wide range of objectives expressed by students. Some seek to use community colleges as a means of securing suitable employment, while others seek to improve their professional status or enhance their skills (Kiprianos & Mpourgos, 2022).…”

Impact and Prospects of a Second Chance Educational Support Programme as a School Reintegration Measure for Young People and Adults from Disadvantaged Backgrounds

“…In the last two decades at the European Union level, dedicated school programmes have been planned and funded through the institution of Second Chance Schools with the aim of compensating for the consequences of high dropout rates and reducing social exclusion (Kiprianos and Mpourgos, 2022).…”

“…The main reasons why young people and adults return to school are related to meeting needs that were generated by leaving school early (Kiprianos and Mpourgos, 2022) such as completing education and the need to undertake further studies, the need to be employable and the acquisition of key knowledge and skills (Keita and Lee, 2022). Some research points to the current shortcomings of Second Chance programmes, such as a one-size-fits-all policy and pedagogical approach in schools as the differences in the specific experiences and the needs of students are being often overlooked (Schmitsek, 2022).…”