The rising issue of dropouts from upper secondary vocational schools in the Czech Republic: perspectives of career counsellors
| Authors | |
|---|---|
| Year of publication | 2025 |
| Type | Article in Periodical |
| Magazine / Source | Journal of Vocational Education and Training |
| MU Faculty or unit | |
| Citation | |
| Doi | https://doi.org/10.1080/13636820.2025.2552798 |
| Keywords | School dropout; career guidance; school counsellors; vocational schools |
| Description | The presented study explores the issue of student dropouts from upper secondary vocational schools from the perspective of school-based career counsellors. In the Czech Republic, student dropout has gained attention relatively recently due to the continuous increase in students who do not complete upper secondary education, a trend particularly relevant in vocational education and training. This qualitative research, based on interviews with counsellors from 10 upper secondary vocational schools, examines how these schools address student dropouts. The findings indicate that a comprehensive approach can be identified, involving the collection of information in collaboration with teachers to identify at-risk students, the implementation of preventive activities to support student engagement and professional identity development, and targeted interventions by counsellors in cooperation with school staff, organisation or parents. Despite the evident lack of systemic measures at the national level of educational policy, some schools have successfully developed mechanisms to mitigate the risk of early school leaving. Career counsellors play a crucial role in this process, acting as support coordinators and providing advisory assistance to at-risk students. |