DEVELOPMENT AND TESTING OF A DROPOUT PREV ENTION PROGRAM CENTERED AROUND EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES

Although not new, the dropout phenomenon has become a serious social p roblem. Since 1985-86, over 35 % of students have left school without getting a high school diploma. Various programs have been developed in order to prevent this problem. Few of them, however, are based on the use of extracurricular activities, which strongly relate to factors o f persistence in school such as self-esteem, perception of the school environment, motivation to study, class attendance, and school success . The purpose of this study is to develop and evaluate a prevention pr ogram designed for potential dropouts. Tested among a group of 5 stude nts of Secondary III, the preliminary program has proved to be feasibl e and efficient. Following its application, four of the five variables under investigation have shown positive changes, i.e. self-esteem, pe rception of the school environment, motivation and class attendance. S chool marks have also improved but for only 3 participants. The data s uggest that this approach could work with the two major types of poten tial dropouts, provided that the activities are more diversified, over a longer period of time, and offered sooner in the learning path. Suc h a program could complement other measures like compensatory educatio n or resolution of various psychological, social or family problems.