tag:theconversation.com,2011:/africa/topics/attrition-11965/articlesAttrition – The Conversation2022-04-27T12:18:55Ztag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1807412022-04-27T12:18:55Z2022-04-27T12:18:55Z‘Great resignation’ appears to be hastening the exodus of US and other Western companies from Russia<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/459922/original/file-20220426-20-s6ka67.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=190%2C60%2C6494%2C4560&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">McDonald's said it is losing $50 million a month by keeping its Russian locations closed. </span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APTOPIXRussiaEconomy/1c71cd548f5649a8934ac9e835c479f0/photo?Query=russia%20mcdonalds&mediaType=photo&sortBy=arrivaldatetime:desc&dateRange=Anytime&totalCount=165&currentItemNo=1">AP Photo</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Companies across the globe are fleeing Russia in an unprecedented display of corporate solidarity with their governments, appalled over the invasion of Ukraine. Over 750 multinational businesses so far have said they’re <a href="https://som.yale.edu/story/2022/over-750-companies-have-curtailed-operations-russia-some-remain">curtailing, suspending or severing ties to Russia</a>, more than triple the number that <a href="https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1988-05-31-fi-3494-story.html">abandoned South Africa over apartheid</a> in the 1980s.</p>
<p>Many corporate statements announcing the decisions have emphasized humanitarian aspects and unity with the Ukrainian people. For example, Pepsi suspended soda sales in Russia, <a href="https://www.pepsico.com/news/press-release/pepsico-suspends-production-and-sale-of-pepsi-cola-and-other-global-beverage-brands-in-russia">describing events in Ukraine as “horrific”</a>; Ford Motor Co. cited Russia’s “threats to peace and stability” in <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/01/business/boeing-ford-russia.html">pausing operations</a> at its three plants in the country; and Ikea <a href="https://about.ikea.com/en/newsroom/2022/03/03/ikea-pauses-operations-in-russia-and-belarus/">closed its stores</a> there and called the war a “human tragedy.”</p>
<p>Detractors of <a href="https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/i-invented-virtue-signalling-now-it-s-taking-over-the-worl">this type of corporate do-goodery</a> have dismissed it as “virtue signaling,” implying there is an <a href="https://theconversation.com/virtue-signalling-a-slur-meant-to-imply-moral-grandstanding-that-might-not-be-all-bad-145546">ulterior motive to the grandstanding</a>. As <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-ford-chanel-and-other-companies-pitch-in-during-a-crisis-without-the-government-ordering-them-to-135170">scholars of corporate social responsibility</a>, we believe altruism can play a role in corporate decisions like these, but – as virtual signaling suggests – other more <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/1970/09/13/archives/a-friedman-doctrine-the-social-responsibility-of-business-is-to.html">profit-focused drivers</a> are usually at work, especially given the stakes when deciding to abandon an entire country. </p>
<p>In this case, the common theme we see for many companies is the “<a href="https://theconversation.com/us/topics/great-resignation-112723">great resignation</a>” – and the fight to attract increasingly picky, younger <a href="https://www.ypulse.com/article/2021/10/19/how-gen-z-millennials-are-fueling-the-great-resignation/">Gen Z and millennial</a> workers, who say <a href="https://www.fastcompany.com/90740920/want-to-attract-and-retain-gen-z-talent-respect-them">they want to work</a> for <a href="https://www.zenefits.com/workest/corporate-social-responsibility-and-the-rise-of-the-gen-z-worker/">socially responsible brands</a>. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="A white boy with a blue stocking hat and coat looks at a toy tank on a box on a table next to several glass Pepsi bottles" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/459897/original/file-20220426-20-2amyq2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/459897/original/file-20220426-20-2amyq2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=389&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/459897/original/file-20220426-20-2amyq2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=389&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/459897/original/file-20220426-20-2amyq2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=389&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/459897/original/file-20220426-20-2amyq2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=488&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/459897/original/file-20220426-20-2amyq2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=488&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/459897/original/file-20220426-20-2amyq2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=488&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Pepsi, which has been in Russia for over 60 years, suspended soda sales, calling the invasion ‘horrific.’</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/RussiaPeople1992/9eb3bf55726540e196f3e3276573dd58/photo?Query=pepsi%20russia&mediaType=photo&sortBy=arrivaldatetime:desc&dateRange=Anytime&totalCount=10&currentItemNo=3">AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>A weighty decision</h2>
<p>A company’s decision to entirely sever its operations in a country is seldom taken lightly.</p>
<p>In leaving Russia, <a href="https://www.reuters.com/business/companies-count-cost-ditching-russia-2022-04-22/">companies will incur significant costs</a> from abandoning equipment, stores and factories, or even an entire workforce. For example, Exxon said it <a href="https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/exxon-mobil-begins-removing-us-employees-its-russian-oil-gas-operations-2022-03-01/">expected to lose US$4 billion</a> in assets over its decision to exit Russia, while <a href="https://www.reuters.com/business/mcdonalds-says-russia-store-closures-cost-50-mln-per-month-2022-03-09/">McDonald’s restaurant closures will cost the company $50 million per month</a>. </p>
<p>And there’s no knowing when the <a href="https://www.ft.com/content/86144c9c-2258-4b9c-a0ad-ea8d63b7000f">companies leaving Russia</a> will be able to return – if ever. </p>
<p>Yet that isn’t stopping hundreds of companies from making the difficult decision to back away. Amid their condemnations of the invasion and expressions of solidarity with the Ukrainian people, many companies have also acknowledged clear business-related reasons. Appliance maker Whirlpool cited the <a href="https://whirlpoolcorp.com/statement-from-whirlpool-corporation-on-ukraine/">security of its workers</a>, Japanese automaker Toyota blamed <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/ukraine-crisis-honda-idCNL1N2V50NI">logistical and supply-chain hurdles</a>, and video streaming company Netflix said <a href="https://www.americanbanker.com/payments/list/these-payment-companies-are-cutting-off-russia">troubles with payment processing</a> will <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/tiktok-and-netflix-pull-back-from-russia-adding-to-its-tech-and-media-isolation-11646606867">strain operations</a>.</p>
<h2>Growing power of workers</h2>
<p>While these practical reasons, along with the moral concerns, could be enough to drive the exodus, we believe the great resignation, in which record numbers of workers are quitting their jobs, is amplifying all these other risks of staying in Russia.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2022/02/01/roughly-47-million-people-quit-their-job-last-year.html#:%7E:text=Another%20historically%20high%204.3%20million,the%20pandemic%20and%20Great%20Resignation.">Roughly 47 million</a> U.S. workers <a href="https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/JTSQUL">voluntarily left their jobs</a> in 2021, accounting for well over a quarter of the <a href="https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/CLF16OV">civilian labor force</a>, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Over 4.5 million quit in November alone, a single-month record, and nearly that many continued to hand in their notices in early 2022.</p>
<p>It’s not just a U.S. phenomenon. Many other countries <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2021/10/18/labor-great-resignation-global/">are experiencing similarly high rates</a> of workers voluntarily quitting their jobs. </p>
<p>This trend has <a href="https://www.vox.com/recode/22841490/work-remote-wages-labor-force-participation-great-resignation-unions-quits">shifted bargaining power to employees</a>, and companies are struggling to <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbescoachescouncil/2022/04/01/how-to-keep-or-find-the-best-employees-in-the-great-resignation/?sh=6a86e8ba6737">acquire skilled workers</a> to fill vacant positions. Employees are <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2022/03/22/great-resignation-continues-as-44percent-of-workers-seek-a-new-job.html">demanding higher pay and more benefits</a>, and <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbescoachescouncil/2021/10/18/the-great-resignation-is-here-how-to-find-purpose-in-the-next-stage-of-your-career/?sh=1d4c59651739">some are rethinking their careers</a> so that their work is more aligned with their values.</p>
<p>Another sign of the shift in power is the recent success of youth-led labor organizing efforts. A growing number of Starbucks locations are becoming unionized, while <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/04/01/technology/amazon-union-staten-island.html">Amazon got its first U.S.-based union</a> after workers on Staten Island in New York City voted to form one in April 2022. <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/news/story/holdout-brands-suspend-russia-ops-4701985/">Starbucks</a> and <a href="https://www.retaildive.com/news/amazon-halts-sales-in-russia-amid-ukraine-invasion/620160/">Amazon</a> have both suspended operations in Russia. </p>
<p>Some industries <a href="https://sloanreview.mit.edu/article/toxic-culture-is-driving-the-great-resignation/">are experiencing especially high employee attrition rates</a>, including <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/talent-recruitment-dilemmas-facing-consulting-firms-caburlotto/">management consulting</a> and <a href="https://hiring.oilandgasjobsearch.com/energy-outlook-report-2021-22">oil and gas</a>, according to a recent article in MIT Sloan Management Review. The attrition rate measures how many workers are lost and not replaced over a period of time.</p>
<p>Management consulting, in which a <a href="https://www.sourceglobalresearch.com/the-next-crisis-in-consulting-people">talented workforce is vital</a>, for example, saw an attrition rate of 16% over the six-month period researchers looked at, or over five times the national average. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="a red sign with white letters reads 'now hiring!'" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/459898/original/file-20220426-26-3rqdm8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/459898/original/file-20220426-26-3rqdm8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/459898/original/file-20220426-26-3rqdm8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/459898/original/file-20220426-26-3rqdm8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/459898/original/file-20220426-26-3rqdm8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/459898/original/file-20220426-26-3rqdm8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/459898/original/file-20220426-26-3rqdm8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">The number of open positions has exploded as a record share of workers quit their jobs.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/UnemploymentBenefits/fb5c5d61436a4a649ff7382d1a0b05c7/photo?Query=hiring&mediaType=photo&sortBy=arrivaldatetime:desc&dateRange=Anytime&totalCount=15506&currentItemNo=20">AP Photo/Matt Rourke</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Employees demand solidarity with Ukraine</h2>
<p>This is why it wasn’t a surprise to us that companies in these labor-strained industries either were among those that severed ties with Russia or quickly did so after facing criticism from employees. </p>
<p>IT consultant Accenture, with nearly 700,000 employees, seemed to set the tone for what would be expected of companies in its industry when on March 3, 2022, it said it was <a href="https://newsroom.accenture.com/news/accenture-to-discontinue-business-in-russia.htm">discontinuing all business in Russia</a>. </p>
<p>“Accenture stands with the people of Ukraine and the governments, companies and individuals around the world calling for the immediate end to the unlawful and horrific attack on the people of Ukraine and their freedom,” it wrote. </p>
<p>Competitors <a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/about-us/media/mckinsey-statement-on-russias-invasion-of-ukraine">McKinsey</a> and <a href="https://www.bcg.com/en-us/press/4march2022-bcg-statement-work-in-russia">Boston Consulting Group</a> initially planned more timid withdrawals by cutting ties with the Russian government but continuing to honor existing private contracts. But after current and former employees of both companies took to <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:6903755488790421504/?commentUrn=urn%3Ali%3Acomment%3A%28activity%3A6903755488790421504%2C6904390111434285056%29">social media</a> to <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-03-03/mckinsey-staff-alumni-pushed-firm-to-cut-ties-to-russia-after-ukraine-invasion?sref=Hjm5biAW">call out their perceived soft stance</a> and even cowardice on Russia, the <a href="https://www.consulting.us/news/7315/big-consultancies-move-to-cut-ties-with-russia-after-backlash">companies quickly reversed</a> course by <a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/about-us/media/mckinsey-statement-on-russias-invasion-of-ukraine">announcing</a> they were pulling out completely. <a href="https://www.wsj.com/livecoverage/russia-ukraine-latest-news-2022-03-04/card/big-consulting-firms-pull-out-of-russia-UGnj9ebn0TFu3RtwYcCF">All the other consulting giants</a> have done the same, including <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/posts/manny-maceda_today-i-shared-a-note-with-my-global-colleagues-activity-6903871483840471040-0qOW/?utm_source=linkedin_share&utm_medium=member_desktop_web">Bain</a>, <a href="https://www2.deloitte.com/global/en/pages/about-deloitte/press-releases/deloitte-statement-on-ukraine-deloitte-global.html">Deloitte</a>, <a href="https://www.ey.com/en_gl/news/2022/02/ey-statement-on-ukraine">EY</a>, <a href="https://home.kpmg/ua/en/home/media/press-releases/2022/03/kpmg.html">KPMG</a> and <a href="https://www.pwc.com/th/en/press-room/press-release/2022/statement-on-pwc-russia.html">PwC</a>.</p>
<p>The big Western oil companies have similarly <a href="https://oilprice.com/Energy/Crude-Oil/Employees-Are-Pressuring-Big-Oil-Firms-To-Pull-The-Plug-On-Russia.html">faced employee pressure</a> to exit Russia, with workers going so far as to refuse to offload Russian oil and gas onto their docks. This comes on top of governments <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/bp-faces-pressure-from-u-k-government-over-stake-in-russias-rosneft-11645817245">pushing companies to take steps</a> that go beyond the sanctions. In severing ties, companies such as <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2022/02/27/bp-russia-rosneft-ukraine/">BP</a>, <a href="https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/shell-withdraw-russian-oil-gas-2022-03-08/">Shell</a> and <a href="https://corporate.exxonmobil.com/News/Newsroom/News-releases/2022/0301_ExxonMobil-to-discontinue-operations-at-Sakhalin-1_make-no-new-investments-in-Russia">Exxon</a> have <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/sergeiklebnikov/2022/04/08/heres-how-much-major-energy-companies-are-losing-by-exiting-russia/?sh=5f75753b7e49">abandoned significant assets</a> in Russia, which will result in <a href="https://www.npr.org/2022/03/01/1083659975/oil-majors-pull-out-of-once-promising-russia">huge losses</a> on their balance sheets. </p>
<h2>Short-term costs for long-term gains</h2>
<p>But accepting these short-term losses appear to be worth it to avoid larger ones down the road.</p>
<p><a href="https://doi.org/10.1108/SRJ-07-2015-0095">Recruiting and retaining a talented workforce</a> <a href="https://www.blackrock.com/corporate/investor-relations/larry-fink-ceo-letter">is an important driver</a> of a company’s long-term profitability. </p>
<p><a href="https://www.statista.com/statistics/738519/workplace-training-spending-per-employee/">Training new workers is costly</a>, and the <a href="https://trainingindustry.com/articles/strategy-alignment-and-planning/how-to-survive-the-big-quit-winning-the-war-for-talent-in-2022/">best talent is always hard to recruit</a> – a challenge made worse by the great resignation. <a href="https://assets.ey.com/content/dam/ey-sites/ey-com/en_gl/topics/digital/ey-the-business-case-for-purpose.pdf">Survey</a> after <a href="https://www.porternovelli.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/02_Porter-Novelli-Tracker-Wave-X-Employee-Perspectives-on-Responsible-Leadership-During-Crisis.pdf">survey</a> has shown workers are increasingly driven by a sense of purpose and expect their companies to <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvb.2018.10.001">reinforce their values</a>. </p>
<p>No company that we know of explicitly cited issues related to the great resignation as a driver of its decision to leave Russia. And industries with high attrition rates and vocal workforces such as <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/02/16/magazine/tech-company-recruiters.html">Big Tech</a> haven’t seen complete withdrawals. In some cases, such as with <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2022/03/01/apple-halts-product-sales-in-russia-.html">Apple</a>, <a href="https://www.reuters.com/technology/google-pauses-all-ad-sales-russia-2022-03-04/">Alphabet</a> and <a href="https://about.fb.com/news/2022/02/metas-ongoing-efforts-regarding-russias-invasion-of-ukraine/#latest">Meta</a>, they’ve suspended some operations <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/02/technology/russia-tech-companies.html">but are trying to keep doing business</a> in part because they play important roles in providing free information to Russian citizens to counter <a href="https://www.voanews.com/a/diaspora-media-work-to-counter-russian-propaganda/6538089.html">Kremlin propaganda</a>.</p>
<p>Every company and every industry has its own unique analysis to go through based on exposure to business and reputational risk in Russia. We believe the great resignation compounds this risk, in some cases significantly. And employees are increasingly <a href="https://fortune.com/2022/04/06/war-reaches-workplace-ukraine-invasion-is-unsettling-stress-american-workers-workplace-careers-leadership-mental-health-cheryl-naumann/">reporting feeling stressed out</a> over Ukraine. </p>
<p>Russia’s aggression against Ukraine <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2022/04/01/russia-and-the-west-battle-to-get-china-and-india-on-side-in-the-war.html">has been condemned almost universally</a> in the West. Given that, many of the companies that severed ties – while <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/04/11/business/costs-companies-leaving-russia.html">sacrificing short-term profits</a> – likely knew that staying would have been <a href="https://corpgov.law.harvard.edu/2022/03/16/the-russian-invasion-of-ukraine-a-lesson-in-stakeholder-capitalism/">far more harmful for their brand</a>, not only with customers <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/jenamcgregor/2022/03/08/there-isnt-a-both-sides-anymore-with-russia-customers-and-employees-demand-action-from-corporations/?sh=163de80c5246">but their employees as well</a>.</p>
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<p class="fine-print"><em><span>The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Two scholars of corporate do-goodery suggest a hidden driver of corporate decisions to leave Russia is the global trend in which record numbers of workers are quitting their jobs.Steven Kreft, Clinical Professor of Business Economics and Public Policy, Indiana UniversityElham Mafi-Kreft, Clinical Associate Professor of Business Economics, Indiana UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1235052019-11-03T13:00:20Z2019-11-03T13:00:20ZWhat universities can do to keep students from dropping out<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/298775/original/file-20191025-173533-zbtqvh.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=7%2C16%2C799%2C423&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Finances, academic performance and a sense of belonging may all be factors in whether or students finish their post-secondary studies.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) reports that in 36 countries, <a href="https://www.oecd.org/education/education-at-a-glance/">only 39 per cent of bachelor’s degree students graduate within the expected duration of their program</a>. Another 28 per cent do so in the following three years.</p>
<p>According to the World Bank, students abandoning advanced or “tertiary” studies — everything from university to advanced-level studies — is a <a href="http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/613701468188661472/pdf/98454-REVISED-Box393212B-PUBLIC.pdf">serious issue negatively impacting countries’ capacities for economic growth and poverty reduction</a>. </p>
<p>Educated people are able to earn <a href="http://wbgfiles.worldbank.org/documents/hdn/ed/saber/supporting_doc/Background/TED/SABER_Tertiary_%20Framework.pdf">higher wages, can better cope with economic shocks and raise healthier families</a>. </p>
<p>Institutions should aim to understand and respond to why students don’t finish their programs. Students who don’t finish may be saddled with debt and find themselves with <a href="https://www.nasfaa.org/news-item/18214/College_Non-Completion_Focus_of_House_Subcommittee_Hearing">worse financial outcomes than if they never pursued higher education</a>. In countries where <a href="http://www.oecd.org/education/skills-beyond-school/48631028.pdf">the government finances some or all post-secondary or tertiary education</a>, all society pays for the failure indirectly. What schools call “non-completion rates” may also be seen as damaging to a program or school’s image and credibility. Universities and colleges generally don’t want to publicize these figures.</p>
<h2>Measuring rates</h2>
<p>Measuring how many students don’t finish isn’t an easy task considering there are many ways <a href="https://www.chronicle.com/blogs/data/2015/05/04/attainment-completion-and-the-trouble-in-measuring-them-both/">to define and calculate</a> this figure, in part due to differences in post-secondary systems. </p>
<p>One of the most accepted definitions of non-completion is when a student isn’t able to receive his or her degree within <a href="https://nces.ed.gov/programs/coe/indicator_ctr.asp">150 per cent of the expected time</a> — for example, three years for a two-year course or six years for a four-year one.</p>
<p>There’s some criticism about this standard because some students change programs or schools and eventually finish a post-secondary degree. Research from 2012 suggests almost <a href="http://www.heqco.ca/SiteCollectionDocuments/Persistence%20ENG.pdf">half of college and 62 per cent of university students in Canada who leave their programs will return to post-secondary education</a> within three years, at the same institution or a different one. </p>
<p>Data from Australia shows that <a href="https://www.latrobe.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0011/784028/La-Trobe-NPP-Re-recruitment-Research-Report-24-February-2017.pdf">one million people have not finished a bachelor level degree they started</a>. However, the majority had finished other courses of study: 28 per cent finished other higher education degrees, and 32 per cent, a vocational qualification. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/299323/original/file-20191029-183120-1k3pj0r.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/299323/original/file-20191029-183120-1k3pj0r.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/299323/original/file-20191029-183120-1k3pj0r.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/299323/original/file-20191029-183120-1k3pj0r.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/299323/original/file-20191029-183120-1k3pj0r.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/299323/original/file-20191029-183120-1k3pj0r.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/299323/original/file-20191029-183120-1k3pj0r.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">The high costs of tuition may mean some students are strapped for time due to working to pay for school.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span>
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</figure>
<h2>Financial costs</h2>
<p>In more than 40 post-secondary institutions in the United States, <a href="https://qz.com/968366/college-is-as-unaffordable-for-most-americans-as-membership-at-trumps-mar-a-lago/">students need to spend US$250,000 to obtain a degree</a>. The sum of all 44 million student loans <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/zackfriedman/2019/02/25/student-loan-debt-statistics-2019/#39c9a2d5133f">has reached US$1.5 trillion</a>.</p>
<p>In Canada, students take between <a href="https://globalnews.ca/news/4222534/canadian-student-loans-government-interest/">nine and 15 years to pay their loans</a>. A 2017 Ipsos poll for BDO Canada Limited
found that <a href="https://www.ipsos.com/en-ca/news-polls/BDO-student-debt-2017-09-18">77 per cent of graduates come to regret their debt</a>. The poll surveyed a sample of 2,212 Canadians aged 21-39 with a completed college diploma or university degree.</p>
<p>Such costs and financial challenges mean that many students need to work part- or full-time during post-secondary studies. Spending too much time working for money can harm academic performance. <a href="http://www.reveduc.ufscar.br/index.php/reveduc/article/view/2529">A study in Brazil</a> found that 61 per cent of students who didn’t finish their programs said the necessity to work during study was the main factor. </p>
<h2>Lower averages, belonging</h2>
<p>What also may be obvious is that students with lower averages are more likely to leave their programs. </p>
<p>A study of profiles of Canadian post-secondary education dropouts found that <a href="https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ1028030">students whose first-year GPAs were 60 per cent or lower were more than twice as likely to drop out</a> than students whose GPAs were above that threshold. A study in Poland similarly <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11233-018-09010-z">associated dropout risks with GPAs</a>. </p>
<p>But it’s not all about the factors that may seem beyond the institutions’ control. </p>
<p>The same Canadian study that examined GPAs found that dropouts have a low sense of belonging, and that first-year students who don’t have someone on campus to talk to about personal issues were more likely to leave. </p>
<p>Sociologist Wolfgang Lehmann of Western University argues students who are either the first generation in their families to attend post-secondary education, or who are low-income students, often “encounter a sense of discontinuity.” In his interviews with 25 students who dropped out, he explores the theme that many had the <a href="https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ775438">feeling of not fitting with the university because of a lack of social bonds</a>.</p>
<h2>Dropping the dropout rate</h2>
<p>Researchers have proposed ways to retain students. Vicent Tinto, a professor emeritus in education from Syracuse University, argued twenty years ago that schools must <a href="https://doi.org/10.12930/0271-9517-19.2.5">address five main areas</a>: having clear expectations, providing adequate academic and social support, offering students clear feedback and allowing opportunties for academic and social involvement, including in learning.</p>
<p>But what should that support and those opportunities look like? Considering the many differences among post-secondary systems, there is no ready formula, but understanding both national conditions and the particular student body helps. </p>
<p>For example, <a href="https://www2.deloitte.com/us/en/insights/industry/public-sector/improving-student-success-in-higher-education.html">in the U.S. today</a>, almost <a href="https://www.wiley.com/en-us/Becoming+a+Student+Ready+College%3A+A+New+Culture+of+Leadership+for+Student+Success-p-9781119119517">half of current U.S. college students (44 percent) are 24 years of age or older</a>; 26 percent work full-time and 28 percent need to take care of family during their studies. </p>
<h2>Targeted investments</h2>
<p>Georgia State University (GSU), in Atlanta, brings one example of a success in increasing completion rates: it <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2013/09/georgia-state-improved-its-graduation-rate-by-22-points-in-10-years/279909/">did so by 22 percent in ten years</a> by investing in key areas. </p>
<p>The university learned that financial issues and students getting overwhelmed, or making poor academic choices, were all impacting students decisions to leave.</p>
<p>Among other initiatives, GSU has made <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/14/opinion/when-a-few-bucks-can-get-students-to-the-finish-line.html?module=inline%20%22%22">small grants</a> available to students, sometimes as little as $300. GSU found this especially helps older students with immediate necessities. In 2012, the school introduced a proactive <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/28/opinion/at-college-a-guided-path-on-which-to-find-oneself.html">advising program</a> where advisers reach out to students and follow them through their studies. It also created freshman cohorts of 25 students that take their courses together, leading to the students building community.</p>
<p>GSU’s recipe won’t work everywhere, but the important lesson is to examine the issue with seriousness, and look for solutions that face the reasons why students don’t finish. Sounds much better than trying to hide it!</p>
<p>[ <em>Like what you’ve read? Want more?</em> <a href="https://theconversation.com/ca/newsletters?utm_source=TCCA&utm_medium=inline-link&utm_campaign=newsletter-text&utm_content=likethis">Sign up for The Conversation’s daily newsletter</a>. ]</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/123505/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Ken S. Coates is affiliated with the Macdonald-Laurier Institute.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Lenin Cavalcanti Guerra does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Tailored strategies to address students’ finances, academic success and socio-emotional connections with an institution or program can help keep students in school.Lenin Cavalcanti Guerra, Post-Doctoral Fellow, Johnson Shoyama Graduate School of Public Policy, University of SaskatchewanKen S. Coates, Canada Research Chair in Regional Innovation, University of SaskatchewanLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/880822017-11-29T23:08:50Z2017-11-29T23:08:50ZSupporting part-time and online learners is key to reducing university dropout rates<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/196857/original/file-20171129-28899-16i080n.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Attrition rates are high for part-time and online students, but it's important we keep providing these modes of study.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>The most recent statistics show <a href="https://docs.education.gov.au/node/45216">first-year attrition rates</a> in Australian universities are at 15%. This has caused the Minister for Education and Training, Simon Birmingham, to <a href="http://www.senatorbirmingham.com.au/new-figures-highlight-need-for-uni-performance-funding/">say</a> universities “need to be taking responsibility for the students they enrol.”</p>
<p>Attrition does not mean dropping out. It just means the student did not continue their study in the following year. For example, attrition includes students who suspend studies due to personal circumstances, but return to study a later year. However, the <a href="https://www.education.gov.au/completion-rates-cohort-analyses">evidence</a> is that most students who discontinue their studies do not end up completing. </p>
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<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/which-students-are-most-likely-to-drop-out-of-university-56276">Which students are most likely to drop out of university?</a>
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<h2>How does Australia compare to other countries?</h2>
<p>To analyse comparative performance, we looked at attrition rates in a number of countries, as well as regions within some countries. As with Australia, most countries focus their attention on nationals (that is, not international students) entering university for the first time. </p>
<p>Australia’s national attrition rate was 14.97%, with institutions ranging as low as 3.92% and as high as 38%. The best-performing state was New South Wales and the worst was Tasmania. Of 39 institutions, 12 had an attrition rate over 20%. </p>
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<p><a href="https://www.hesa.ac.uk/data-and-analysis/students/overviews?keyword=All&&year=620&page=5">England, Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland</a> and Ireland all performed better than Australia.</p>
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<p><a href="http://www.educationcounts.govt.nz/statistics/tertiary-education/retention_and_achievement">Aotearoa, New Zealand</a>, had an overall attrition rate of 16%, slightly higher than Australia’s. This was also the case with <a href="https://nscresearchcenter.org/snapshotreport28-first-year-persistence-and-retention/">US</a> public higher institutions offering four-year degrees, where the attrition rate was 17.7%. </p>
<p><a href="http://cou.on.ca/numbers/cudo/">Universities in Ontario</a>, which is 40% of Canada, had an average attrition rate of 12.8% for full time students. But the overall attrition rate (which includes part-time students) would likely place this figure even closer to Australia’s attrition rate, though we can’t say this for certain.</p>
<h2>What causes student attrition?</h2>
<p>Many things <a href="https://theconversation.com/which-students-are-most-likely-to-drop-out-of-university-56276">affect student attrition</a>, including age, socio-economic status, location and time on campus. Our study focused on three elements that have the potential to contribute to higher rates of attrition. The first is above-average student-to-staff ratios, as an indicator of student-lecturer interaction.</p>
<p>The second is above-average ratios of part-time enrolments, suggesting students are juggling study with work and personal commitments. The third is above-average ratios of external enrolments (such as students studying online), since these students have little or no access to the majority of on-campus support services. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/better-academic-support-for-students-may-help-lower-university-attrition-rates-66395">Better academic support for students may help lower university attrition rates</a>
</strong>
</em>
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<p>The issues of part-time enrolments and external enrolments are closely related, as most students studying externally also study part-time. </p>
<p>We searched in the official higher education <a href="https://www.education.gov.au/higher-education-statistics">statistics</a> for relationships between attrition and these three elements. That is, were attrition rates higher for universities that had more students per lecturer, or higher part-time enrolments, or more students studying externally? </p>
<p>We found some links between attrition rates and student-to-staff ratios. Some 15 universities had higher than average attrition rates when they also had higher than average student to staff ratios.</p>
<p>And nine universities that had better than average student-to-staff ratios also had better than average attrition rates.</p>
<p>But that still meant 15 universities bucked the trend. They either had better attrition despite having worse student-to-staff ratios, or the opposite. </p>
<p>There was a much stronger relationship between attrition rates and external enrolment ratios. Some 20 universities had below average attrition and external enrolment rates, and ten had above average attrition and external enrolment rates. </p>
<p>The correlation was even stronger between attrition rates and part-time enrolments, with 31 universities displaying a direct relationship between the two factors. </p>
<p>Looking at our international comparisons, we saw similar trends. The overall attrition rate in the UK was 9.8%. But this hid an attrition rate of 35.5% for part-time students. For those studying through the UK Open Universities (so, externally), the attrition rate was even higher, at 43.5%. </p>
<p>In the US, the attrition rate for part-time students was 37.2%. In New Zealand, it was 26%.</p>
<h2>What type of higher education system do we want?</h2>
<p>Students who don’t complete their courses are not only missing out on a personal opportunity, there’s also lost potential to society. Students and universities must aim to further reduce attrition. Universities are changing their admission, teaching and student support to increase their students’ success. But completion rates also reflect what kind of higher education system we want.</p>
<p>That said, Australia’s attrition rates are not unusually high by these international comparisons. We should accept a modest level of attrition so we can keep providing opportunities for part-time students and others who don’t fit the conventional mould. Students studying part-time, especially those studying externally, need specialised support to help them balance their studies with their work and life commitments. But they don’t need to see their opportunities for flexible study reduced, just so an institution can improve its retention rate.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/88082/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>We should accept a modest level of attrition so we can keep providing opportunities for part-time and online students, who might not otherwise be able to study.Tim Pitman, Researcher in Higher Education Policy, Curtin UniversityGavin Moodie, Adjunct professor, RMIT UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/455772015-08-03T05:32:20Z2015-08-03T05:32:20ZUni drop-out rates show need for more support, not capped enrolments<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/90557/original/image-20150803-6016-10g8f3g.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">University attrition or 'drop-out' rates are at their highest level since 2005. </span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">from www.shutterstock.com.au</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>The latest <a href="https://education.gov.au/selected-higher-education-statistics-2014-student-data">Selected Higher Education Statistics</a> have revealed an increase in student attrition, or the percentage of students commencing in 2013 who neither completed nor re-enrolled in 2014. </p>
<p>In 2013, the national figure for domestic commencing bachelor students in all higher education providers was 14.79%, compared to 13.43% in 2012. This attrition rate is the highest it has been since 2005, when it was 15.04%.</p>
<p>It is likely that the demand-driven system has had an effect on attrition rates, as the increase in attrition has come at the same time as an increase in enrolments. Also, since the introduction of the demand-driven system, offers to students with ATARS of 60 or below have <a href="https://docs.education.gov.au/system/files/doc/other/undergraduateapplicationsoffers2013.pdf">increased</a> from 9.4% in 2009 to 12.5% in 2014. </p>
<p>But it is worthwhile noting the national attrition rate in 2005 of 15.04% was recorded seven years before the demand-driven system was implemented. There are also significant differences in attrition rates between fields of study, student demographics and between institutions. This deserves further analysis. </p>
<p>There is <a href="http://www.theaustralian.com.au/higher-education/drop-outs-soar-as-unis-ride-enrolment-boom/story-e6frgcjx-1227467093509">a fair degree of consensus</a> in regard to a correlation between increasing attrition rates and the introduction of the demand-driven system. However, determining the consequences, both positive and negative, of the increase in attrition rates is more complex.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/90558/original/image-20150803-5986-kyittp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/90558/original/image-20150803-5986-kyittp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/90558/original/image-20150803-5986-kyittp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/90558/original/image-20150803-5986-kyittp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/90558/original/image-20150803-5986-kyittp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/90558/original/image-20150803-5986-kyittp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/90558/original/image-20150803-5986-kyittp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/90558/original/image-20150803-5986-kyittp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
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<span class="caption">Even if they don’t finish, students will benefit from exposure to higher education.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">from www.shutterstock.com</span></span>
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<p>Each student who does not complete their degree leaves university without a qualification but with a HECS debt. There is also a cost to the nation. </p>
<p>However, in general, these students will benefit from their exposure to higher education and many may return at a later stage. What would assist in following trends would be if the Department of Education and Training were to publish figures each year showing the number of students who returned to study after leaving their studies for more than one year. That would give us a clearer picture of the true nature of attrition within the system. </p>
<p>Although it is not possible to quantify precisely, we know that many more capable students have been able to access higher education as a result of the demand-driven system than were able to previously. Between 2010 and 2014, enrolments among Australian public universities increased by <a href="https://www.education.gov.au/selected-higher-education-statistics-2014-student-data">almost 20%</a>. </p>
<p>As of 2014, the removal of caps has allowed an additional student to enter the system for every four positions available at 2010 levels of enrolment. For each student who commenced in 2013 but did not return in 2014, there were many more who will successfully complete. They would not have had the opportunity to do so under the previous, capped, system.</p>
<h2>Alternatives for supporting students</h2>
<p>There are a number of ways in which students might be better supported without reducing access to higher education, or returning to a capped system. The 2013 <a href="https://docs.education.gov.au/system/files/doc/other/review_of_the_demand_driven_funding_system_report_for_the_website.pdf">review</a> of the demand-driven system proposed extending it to sub-bachelor places, to:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>… address student quality concerns about lower ATAR entrants, by increasing their academic preparation before they enter a bachelor‑degree course. </p>
</blockquote>
<p>Another alternative pathway is offered by “enabling programs”. These are shorter (usually six months), not-for-degree academic programs designed specifically to prepare students for university studies. </p>
<p>Unlike sub-bachelor (for example diploma) courses they are not a qualification in and of themselves. And also unlike sub-bachelor programs, they are usually provided at no charge to the student. Enabling pathways have very high attrition rates, around 50%. </p>
<p>However, as an Office of Learning and Teaching research <a href="http://www.enablingeducators.org/resources/CG10_1697_Hodges_Report_2013.pdf">project</a> found, this is actually a good thing. It allows students unprepared for university study to find this out <em>before</em> they are financially committed to a three-year bachelor degree. The researchers observed:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>This is not only good economics but also serves the goals of equity and social justice, delivering wider benefits to society as a whole.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>This is particularly the case for students from particular disadvantaged backgrounds, such as regional and remote students and low-socioeconomic-status students. Previous <a href="http://w3.unisa.edu.au/hawkeinstitute/ncsehe/student-equity-forum-2009/wheelahan-what-kind-of-access.pdf">research</a> into whether or not sub-bachelor (like vocational training) programs are also effective for the students suggests this may not be the case. </p>
<p>Currently, the National Centre for Student Equity in Higher Education is conducting a <a href="https://www.ncsehe.edu.au/mediareleases/university-contributing-to-national-student-research-project/">national survey</a> into the efficacy of both enabling and sub-bachelor pathways for disadvantaged students. </p>
<p>This involves comparing attrition and success rates for students transitioning via both pathways, as well as surveying the experiences of more than 2500 of these students who are enrolled in university studies. The results will be published later this year.</p>
<p>Better support needs to be offered to students post-enrolment to ensure they successfully complete their studies. The more diverse our student population becomes, and the more diverse their prior educational backgrounds, the more diverse our universities need to be in supporting their educational needs.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/45577/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Tim Pitman is a researcher on the National Centre for Student Equity in Higher Education enabling research project, referred to in the article.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Paul Koshy does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>The latest Selected Higher Education Statistics have revealed an increase in student attrition, or the percentage of students commencing in 2013 who neither completed nor re-enrolled in 2014.Tim Pitman, Senior Research Fellow, Curtin UniversityPaul Koshy, Research Fellow at the Natiional Centre for Student Equity in Higher Education , Curtin UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/416862015-06-22T04:45:59Z2015-06-22T04:45:59ZRespecting culture could fix Ghana schools’ problems<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/81721/original/image-20150514-28596-ttlb8p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C699%2C1370%2C1255&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Ghana's education system has been slammed in a new global report. Could making schools more culturally savvy fix the problem?</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Nic Bothma/EPA</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Ghanaians were dismayed in May 2015 when an Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) report declared the country’s school system <a href="http://www.todaygh.com/2015/05/14/ghana-places-last-in-global-school-rankings/">bottom of the class</a>. The report’s authors collected data from 76 countries to produce what has been called the biggest ever global school rankings.</p>
<p>Ghana’s Ministry of Education rushed to defend itself, but the report has simply proved what many education experts already know. It’s been three decades since Ghana <a href="http://www.presidentrawlings.com/pgs/education.php">introduced</a> a vocational, practical school model. </p>
<p>The model was designed to tackle Ghana’s acute lack of technical manpower that would have the relevant skills to bolster the economy. But a look at the country’s educational results and the system as a whole shows that there are major problems with this model and how it has been implemented.</p>
<p>Critics of the education system say that its failure to incorporate <a href="http://www.modernghana.com/news/407516/1/formal-education-in-ghana-a-story-of-disappoinment.html">Ghanaian cultural values</a> is a large part of the problem. They suggest that making local cultural values a fundamental part of the education system will create a happier, more harmonious society. </p>
<h2>Ths system as it stands</h2>
<p>A note about terminology is necessary here: since the reforms of the 1980s, Ghanaian children complete basic school – primary for six years and junior high for three years. They then move on to senior high, or secondary school, for three or four years.</p>
<p>The country has a centralised application system to allocate 350,000 pupils each year to 700 secondary schools. This uses standardised exams and pupils can accept from anywhere in Ghana. Pupils must submit a list of preferred schools. Kehinde F. Ajayi, a respected professor of educational economics, <a href="http://people.bu.edu/kajayi/Ajayi_EducationalMobility.pdf">points out</a> that this system is used elsewhere in the world, in countries as diverse as Kenya, the UK and Romania.</p>
<p>Pupils write this entrance exam after nine years of basic education. There are only 175,000 places available at public schools across the country. Those children who pass the entrance exam face another hurdle: high <a href="http://www.create-rpc.org/pdf_documents/Education%20Matters%20%20All%20Papers20Aug2010%20to%204March2011.pdf">attrition rates</a>. For instance, 33% of those who enter primary school drop out before reaching junior high school. </p>
<h2>Slipping through the cracks</h2>
<p>Most of the 175,000 children who cannot be placed in the formal secondary school system <a href="http://www.uis.unesco.org/Library/Documents/out-of-school-children-ghana-country-study-2012-en.pdf">go to work</a> for their families or become apprentices in a variety of trades. </p>
<p>There are a number of mechanic and fitting apprentice shops in Ghana’s cities. They train those who fall out of the mainstream school system and those who did not attend formal school at all. Some of these technicians become very good at what they do, but there are several problems with the apprenticeship system. </p>
<p>Firstly, these technicians have a <a href="http://www.sciencepublishinggroup.com/journal/paperinfo.aspx?journalid=183&doi=10.11648/j.ijsts.20140206.19">limited theoretical background</a> because they didn’t complete formal schooling. Secondly, the apprenticeships are available to relatively few people who could afford to pay. </p>
<p>Finally, and crucially to my research, some youngsters who have dropped out of formal schooling actually have no interest in learning a trade. How do we keep them from slipping through the cracks?</p>
<h2>Seeking solutions in culture</h2>
<p>It seems that other African countries are also <a href="http://www.kas.de/ghana/en/pages/2571/">grappling</a> with how to unite modern educational systems and philosophies with indigenous value systems. They also want to understand what role religion should play in society at large and in schools.</p>
<p>In Ghana, it is said that the five fingers of the hand are of different sizes and lengths but of equal significance and importance. So, education should be organised in a way that enables all individuals, irrespective of their background and interests, to participate in and benefit from the system.</p>
<p>I organised three focus group discussions, each lasting for 90 minutes and led by a skilled facilitator. One of the issues they tackled was how politics, religion and culture could positively influence education. There were eight people in each group – among them politicians, religious Christians and Muslims, policy makers, teachers and students.</p>
<p>There are about 27 million people in Ghana and, while the country is ethnically diverse, more than 71% of citizens identify themselves as Christians. Another 17.6% are Muslims. </p>
<p>All of the discussants agreed that educational reform was necessary. They said that culturally relevant school environments would show learners their traditions and cultural histories were valued by the system. This, they asserted, would make students feel more comfortable at school and ultimately encourage them to work harder.</p>
<p>The participants identified religion as a powerful tool for improving schools, arguing that religious leaders had the influence to teach children about committing themselves to civic responsibilities – like performing well at school to secure good jobs in future.</p>
<p>Politicians have a major role to play, since they craft education policies. These policies, the discussants agreed, need to expand education to meet Ghana’s growing demand.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/41686/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>John Boateng does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Critics of Ghana’s education system suggest that making local cultural values a fundamental part of the education system will create a happier, more harmonious society.John Boateng, Lecturer in Continuing and Distance Education, University of GhanaLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/305032014-08-26T03:15:29Z2014-08-26T03:15:29Z‘Sense of belonging’ enhances the online learning experience<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/56759/original/tdvnvk7f-1408414120.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Many students drop out of online degrees because they don't feel a sense of belonging with the course or university. </span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/fleep/2450907384">Flickr/Fleep Tuque</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/">CC BY-SA</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>For the past couple of years Australian universities’ enthusiasm for online learning has increased, following the lead of international universities in realising the potential of MOOCs to replace traditional face-to-face learning. While the number of students undertaking studies on campus has remained relatively stable over the past three years, the number undertaking online or a combination of on-campus and online education <a href="http://education.gov.au/selected-higher-education-statistics-2011-student-data">continues</a> <a href="http://education.gov.au/selected-higher-education-statistics-2012-student-data">to</a> <a href="http://education.gov.au/selected-higher-education-statistics-2013-student-data">grow</a>.</p>
<p>The increase in online learning has taken place around the same time as a significant shift in the social and economic background of students. The implementation of the <a href="http://www.industry.gov.au/highereducation/ResourcesAndPublications/ReviewOfAustralianHigherEducation/Pages/ReviewOfAustralianHigherEducationReport.aspx">Bradley equity review of higher education</a> has led to <a href="http://education.gov.au/selected-higher-education-statistics-2012-student-data">modest improvements</a> in the number of university students from low socioeconomic backgrounds, regional/remote areas, indigenous students, students from a non-English-speaking background and students with a disability. </p>
<h2>Drop-out rates for online learning are high. Why?</h2>
<p>Online learning presents an opportunity to provide access to higher education for traditionally underrepresented groups. However, the combination of the new mode of delivery (online) and working with non-traditional students presents challenges for how to make education inclusive. </p>
<p>The <a href="http://www.thejeo.com/Volume4Number2/Angelino%20Final.pdf">attrition rates</a> for online learning and for non-traditional students <a href="http://sleid.cqu.edu.au/viewarticle.php?id=84">are both high</a>, creating a risk that the factors that drive attrition among these groups may compound.</p>
<p>The reasons that students are more likely to drop out of online learning are complex. <a href="http://www.ed.psu.edu/acsde/deos/deosnews/deosnews13_5.pdf">Some researchers have suggested</a> attrition seems to be affected by a mix of personal, institutional and circumstantial variables.</p>
<p>Personal variables include things like previous academic experience, self-efficacy, ability to organise their study and motivation. Institutional variables include the balance between the needs of the learner and the institution, the availability of support and the nature of university processes and systems. Circumstantial variables cover the learner’s interactions with the institution as well as the changing circumstances of their lives. </p>
<p>Much of the research literature seems to assume that the challenges of online learning are experienced by all students much the same. We looked at how students from non-traditional higher education backgrounds experienced online learning, and what teachers did to make their courses inclusive.</p>
<h2>A ‘sense of belonging’ in online learning</h2>
<p><a href="https://fyhejournal.com/article/view/233">We investigated</a> strategies to support learning for non-traditional students in online contexts and found that “sense of belonging” was one aspect deemed to be important. </p>
<p>We interviewed 46 university teachers and 21 students from various discipline areas and geographical regions around Australia. Teachers and students were selected on the basis of having had experience with teaching or learning in an online course. Students were representatives of various equity groups including first-in-family to attend university, low SES, regional or remote, Indigenous, with a disability, carer, worker etc. </p>
<p>Participants were asked to discuss their experiences with online learning courses and strategies that supported learning for the diverse range of students in this context. </p>
<p>A key finding of this research suggested that where teachers were able to foster a sense of belonging in their course, students reported greater enjoyment, reduced anxiety and were less inclined to withdraw from the course. </p>
<h2>How do you make students feel more included?</h2>
<p>Online programs need to offer a <a href="http://www.irrodl.org/index.php/irrodl/article/view/79/153">balance</a> of <a href="http://www.editlib.org/p/106720/">learning and socialisation</a> activities where students can interact with each other. </p>
<p>Courses ideally:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>Use <a href="http://twt.wikispaces.com/Ice-Breaker+Ideas">online ice-breaker activities</a>, such as online introductions at the start of the course, to encourage students to meet and interact in the virtual environment;</p></li>
<li><p><a href="http://onlinelearninginsights.wordpress.com/2014/08/14/how-to-make-group-work-collaborative-in-online-courses-four-strategies/">Make communication and collaboration</a> between students part of assessment, such as group assignments and peer assessments;</p></li>
<li><p>Provide an online “student lounge” or encourage students to use Skype, Facebook or other networking sites to interact beyond the formal course;</p></li>
<li><p>Schedule and facilitate real-time learning sessions using virtual classroom technology.</p></li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1096751606000364">Teacher presence</a> also contributes to a sense of belonging in the online context. Teachers should:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>Use <a href="http://www.learningsolutionsmag.com/articles/107/teacher-presence-using-introductory-videos-in-online-and-hybrid-courses/page2">introductory videos</a> to introduce the teaching team to students;</p></li>
<li><p>Communicate regularly with students through announcements;</p></li>
<li><p>Engage in discussion forums with students;</p></li>
<li><p>Offer electronic office hours where real-time conversations can be initiated.</p></li>
</ul>
<p>A sense of belonging was important to many students, though not all. For some, online learning presents an opportunity to avoid social contact in learning and this choice is to be respected.</p>
<p>The key is to design a learning environment with multiple layers for engagement and participation where learners can choose their level of interaction with others.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/30503/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Lisa Thomas works for the University of Wollongong</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>James Herbert was employed by the University of Wollongong for the term of this research project. </span></em></p>For the past couple of years Australian universities’ enthusiasm for online learning has increased, following the lead of international universities in realising the potential of MOOCs to replace traditional…Lisa Thomas, Lecturer. Learning, Teaching and Curriculum, University of WollongongJames Herbert, Post-Doctoral Research Fellow, Australian Centre for Child Protection, University of South AustraliaLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.