Profiling Out-of-School Youth as Basis for Developing Effective Community Extension Programs
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.65339/ijsair.V2.I2.645Keywords:
Community Extension Programs, Educational Disengagement, Financial Constraints, Out-of-School Youth, Socioeconomic Challenges, Sustainable Development Goals, Youth Development, Youth EmpowermentAbstract
This study aimed to profile out-of-school youth (OSY) in the Municipality of Barbaza, Antique, Philippines and identify the factors affecting their non-enrollment as a basis for developing responsive community extension programs. The study was anchored on Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Theory and guided by the Input–Process–Output (IPO) Model. A descriptive research design was employed to determine the demographic characteristics of out-of-school youth and the factors contributing to their educational disengagement. Data were collected using a validated researcher-made survey questionnaire administered to 818 identified out-of-school youth aged 11–24 years through total enumeration sampling. Frequency, percentage, and weighted mean were used to analyze the data. The findings revealed that most respondents were male, aged 16–18 years, single, had reached the high school level, and were employed. Financial constraints emerged as the most significant factor affecting non-enrollment, followed by employment opportunities, family responsibilities, and lack of interest in schooling. These results indicate that socioeconomic challenges remain the primary barriers to educational participation among out-of-school youth. The study further found that many respondents discontinued their education during secondary schooling and entered employment or livelihood activities due to economic necessity. Overall, educational disengagement was largely influenced by financial limitations, employment demands, and family-related obligations. The study concludes that addressing the educational and socioeconomic needs of out-of-school youth requires responsive interventions that combine educational support, skills development, livelihood opportunities, and youth empowerment initiatives. Based on the findings, the SIGLA (Skills and Innovation for Growth, Livelihood and Advancement of Barbaza Out-of-School Youth) Program was proposed to enhance employability, financial literacy, and community participation among beneficiaries. The study supports Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 4, 8, and 10 by promoting educational inclusion, employability, and reduced inequalities. It also contributes to educational, socioeconomic, community, and institutional sustainability through evidence-based community extension programming.
References
Albert, J. R. G., Mendoza, R. U., Cabalfin, D. L. D., Mahmoud, M. A., & Muñoz, M. S. (2024). A process evaluation of the Philippine Alternative Learning System (Discussion Paper No. 2024-31). Philippine Institute for Development Studies. https://doi.org/10.62986/dp2024.31
Alvarez, A. V., Jr. (2024). Second chances: Exploring the Philippine alternative learning system. International Journal of Scholars in Education, 7(1), 1–16. https://doi.org/10.52134/ueader.1445226
Bapir, A. K., Maolood, I. Y., Abdullah, D. A., Ameen, A. K., & Abdullah, A. A. (2025). Effect of information technology on job creation to support economic: Case studies of graduates in universities (2023–2024) of the KRG of Iraq. arXiv. https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2501.04438
Bronfenbrenner, U. (1979). The ecology of human development: Experiments by nature and design. Harvard University Press.
Calo, J. R., & Salvaña, M. (2024). Academic motivation, resilience, and achievement of Alternative Learning System learners: A structural equation modeling analysis. International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science, 8(8), 3095–3110. https://doi.org/10.47772/IJRISS.2024.8080235
Campoy, A. C., & Campoy, J. C. (2022). Out-of-school youth delinquency: Local government intervention. International Journal of Advanced Research, 10(5), 196–204. https://doi.org/10.21474/IJAR01/14696
Carbaja, R. T. (2023). Alternative learning in the Philippines: A study of two alternative learning systems for out-of-school youth. In The Asian Conference on Education 2023 Official Conference Proceedings. International Academic Forum (IAFOR). https://papers.iafor.org/submission75221/
Cimene, F. T. A., Albino, A.-A. C., Mijares, R. A. J., Hallazgo, F. P. M., Austria, M. J., Corporal, L. M. C., Elarcosa, R. T., Quipanes, F. M. B., Recto, S. N., & Villaflor, R. J. D. (2023). Understanding the complex factors behind students dropping out of school. European Journal of Science, Innovation and Technology, 3(5), 114–125. https://www.ejsit-journal.com/index.php/ejsit/article/view/293
Contreras-Villalobos, M., et al. (2023). School dropout among youth and adult education students in Chile. Frontiers in Psychology. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1163088
Creswell, J. W., & Creswell, J. D. (2023). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches (6th ed.). SAGE Publications.
Cristobal, E. B. (2023). The community extension of university as a driving factor to societal reform. Journal for Educators, Teachers and Trainers, 14(2), 370–383. https://doi.org/10.47750/jett.2023.14.02.035
David, C. C., Albert, J. R. G., & Vizmanos, J. F. V. (2018). Out-of-school children: Changing landscape of school attendance and barriers to completion (PIDS Discussion Paper Series No. 2018-25). Philippine Institute for Development Studies. https://pidswebs.pids.gov.ph/CDN/PUBLICATIONS/pidsdps1825.pdf
Desai, R., Magan, A., Ruiter, R. A. C., Reddy, P. S., & Mercken, L. A. G. (2024). Understanding why youth drop out of school in South Africa. SAGE Open. https://doi.org/10.1177/21582440231219080
Dumadag, C. T., Silor, A. C., Capuno, G. G. D., & Cortez-David, S. (2023). Drop-out determinants that influence the out-of-school youth in Iligan City and Lanao Del Norte in the Philippines. International Journal of Innovative Research and Scientific Studies, 6(4), 788–794. https://doi.org/10.53894/ijirss.v6i4.2076
Jo, H., & Kim, H. (2023). Qualitative panel study on out-of-school youths in transition to adulthood: Focusing on school degree and work experiences. Forum for Youth Culture, 76, 137–176. https://doi.org/10.17854/ffyc.2023.10.76.137
Ignatowski, C. (2024). Meeting the potential of out-of-school youth in the Philippines: The experience of Opportunity 2.0. United States Agency for International Development (USAID). https://www.researchgate.net/publication/396389735_Meeting_the_Potential_of_Out-of-School_Youth_in_the_Philippines_The_Experience_of_Opportunity_20
Kim, S., et al. (2023). Factors associated with university dropout: A machine learning approach. arXiv. https://arxiv.org
Mahinay, R. B., Manla, E. C., Ramores, N. S., & Dinagsao, A. V. (2025). Child-friendly learning spaces in the Alternative Learning System (ALS): Focus on Northern Mindanao, Philippines. Southeastern Philippines Journal of Research and Development, 30(2), 47–62. https://doi.org/10.53899/spjrd.v30i2.1179
Morte, A. (2024). Implementation of the Alternative Learning System in a public island school. E-Journals Philippines.
Özdemir, N. K., Kemer, F. N. A., Arslan, A., & Tuna, B. (2024). A qualitative study of unveiling school dropout complexity in Türkiye. Child Indicators Research, 17(3), 1001–1021. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12187-024-10116-7
Philippine Statistics Authority. (2024). Out-of-school children and youth statistics from the 2020 Census of Population and Housing.
Potane, J. D., Sumodevilla, J. L. C., & Banaag, R. A. (2024). Factors affecting student drop-out behavior: A systematic review. International Journal of Educational Management and Innovation, 5(1), 53–70. https://doi.org/10.12928/ijemi.v5i1.9396
Psyridou, M., Prezja, F., Torppa, M., Lerkkanen, M.-K., Poikkeus, A.-M., & Vasalampi, K. (2024). Machine learning predicts upper secondary education dropout as early as the end of primary school. Scientific Reports, 14, Article 12956. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-63629-0
Putrik, P., Kant, I. J., Hoofs, H., Reijs, R., & Jansen, M. J. (2024). Prediction of school dropout outside school setting: Potential for early risk stratification by youth health care services in the Netherlands. Results from a retrospective cohort study. Child & Youth Care Forum, 53(2), 349–365. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10566-023-09757-6
UNESCO. (2024). Out-of-school rate. Retrieved from https://www.unesco.org/en/education/estimates/outofschool
