Poverty: A Driver of School Dropout in the Urban Zone of Pichincha, Ecuador.

Abstract

School dropout is a critical problem that affects the personal and social development of children and adolescents, perpetuating the cycle of poverty. According to the Ministry of Education (2024), the school dropout rate in the urban area of Pichincha during 2022-2023 was 1.72%. In this context, poverty limits access to educational resources and affects students' ability to continue their education. This explanatory study analyzes how poverty impacts educational continuity, creating barriers that hinder learning and affect the physical and mental health of students. Using a qualitative-quantitative approach, 30 teachers were surveyed and tools such as SPSS and ATLAS.ti were used for data analysis. The findings reveal that poverty is a key factor in school dropout, with an average of two students dropping out monthly per institution, and a high perception among educators that poverty contributes directly to school dropout and the lack of correlation between the cantons studied indicates the need for area-specific strategies. It is essential to implement comprehensive interventions to improve living conditions and ensure equitable and accessible educational opportunities.