Application of Tinto Model in Explaining Secondary School Dropout from Teachers Experiences in Pasir Gudang, Johor

Secondary school dropout is an issue in many countries including Malaysia. However, a framework was developed by Tinto (1993) to explain tertiary education dropout which suggests academic and social integration to ensure students engaged to commit to the institution. This study explored the academic and social issues which lead to secondary school dropout from the experience of the teachers in Malaysia. A school in Pasir Gudang was selected from the list of school with highest number of dropped out students. Five secondary school teachers with at least 10 years teaching experience were interviewed. This study found four issues related to academics which are students’ attitude, classroom practices and syllabus, students’ interest and family. On the social aspect, there are two related issues which are peers or in-school friends influence and dropped out or older and working friends’ influence. these are the issues which impede the attainment of academic and social integration in school which result in students dropping out of school. This study found that it is not just internal issues within the school but including external factors in influencing secondary school students to dropout. This study shed lights on the multifaceted reasons behind secondary school dropout through the insights of experienced teachers, revealing the academic and social issues from students schooling experience that affect the disengagement from schooling which led up to secondary school drop out.