Opening the doors : early school leavers and their perceived lived experience in the Maltese educational system

Abstract

As stated in the Eurostat Regional Yearbook (Eurostat, 2012), early school leavers are those individuals between 18 to 24 years of age who have finished no more than a lower secondary education and are not involved in future education or training. This study adopts a qualitative approach to explore the perceived lived experiences of Maltese early school leavers (ESLs) and their disengagement from the Maltese educational system. The data was obtained through semi-structured interviews conducted with youths who fit this category, while Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis was used to analyse the data. Five super-ordinate themes emerged from the analysis: (a) the ESL's self-concept and how this affects their motivation to further their education, (b) the influence of the family, (c) the peer group and its effect, (d) their experience in the Maltese schooling system and (e) the reasons why they believe some people become ESLs. These interlocking factors 'pushed' them or helped 'pull' them out of compulsory schooling, and hence curtailed their access to further education. These perceived experiences could help Maltese policy makers address some of the structural obstacles that these young people face when accessing compulsory education in Malta.