Abstract
This study aims to investigate the dropout phenomenon in selected public secondary schools in Al Ain, United Arab Emirates. Employing a qualitative research design, the study collected data through purposive sampling, focusing on specific characteristics and criteria relevant to dropout cases. In-depth face-to-face interviews were conducted with individuals who had dropped out, providing rich qualitative data on the factors contributing to school dropout. The data was meticulously analyzed using various levels of coding to identify emergent themes related to the research questions, facilitated by the NVivo software program. The findings revealed several critical themes and sub-themes aligned with the research objectives. The findings indicated significant relationships between several factors and dropout rates. These factors included family circumstances, health issues, motivation levels, and marital status. The study also revealed a strong correlation between a family's socio-economic status and dropout rates. Other contributing elements identified were the behaviors of some teachers, peer influence, and the difficulty of the instructional language in the curriculum. Furthermore, the study highlighted the impact of unmet safety, social, and psychological needs in increasing dropout rates. Lastly, the lack of effective coping mechanisms for dealing with stress and the absence of strict dropout prevention policies exacerbated this phenomenon. Conclusions drawn from the study indicate that school dropouts can be significantly mitigated through targeted interventions. Key factors identified include inadequate family support, insufficient dropout prevention policies, challenging curricula, lack of motivation from school and family environments, certain teacher behaviors, and peer influence. Addressing these issues requires collaborative efforts among all stakeholders, including schools, teachers, educational officials, and parents. The study underscores the importance of early and consistent monitoring of student progress, enhanced communication among stakeholders, increased family and school motivation, ensuring family stability and safety, curriculum optimization, provision of recreational school activities, implementation of stringent dropout prevention policies, and reducing exam and homework-induced stress._