Factors that hinder access to and persistence in post-compulsory education: a challenge for vulnerable groups in Spain

ABSTRACT

Post-compulsory education constitutes a stage of heightened vulnerability for certain young people who face conditions of inequality. Young people with disabilities or from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds, immigrants, Romani, and women are the primary vulnerable groups in Spain. In addition, other circumstances may present a challenge to gaining admission to, persisting in and successfully graduating from post-compulsory education. Although belonging to one of these groups does not present an obstacle for certain young people in the continuation of their studies, for others, being a member of a vulnerable group poses a challenge on a daily basis. This article seeks to identify the factors that render it difficult for young people belonging to vulnerable groups to continue their post-compulsory studies in Spain. This study has identified familial, personal, institutional, and systemic factors that may explain why certain young people do not have access to post-compulsory schooling or drop out before completing their studies.

KEYWORDS:

• Access
• dropout
• post-compulsory education
• retention
• vulnerability

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness of Spain under the Grant EDU2013-47452-R.

Notes on contributors

Anna Díaz-Vicario

Anna Díaz-Vicario Degree in PhD in Education. Postdoctoral researcher in the Department of Applied Pedagogy in the Autonomous University of Barcelona and lecturer in the area of Didactics and School Organisation. Actively participates in national and international research related to the improvement of higher education training, organisational development, and school safety.

Carme Armengol Asparó

Carme Armengol Asparó Teacher and educationalist, with a PhD in Education Sciences. Professor of Didactics and School Organisation in the Department of Applied Pedagogy of the Autonomous University of Barcelona. Member of the Organisational Development Group (EDO), collaborating in a variety of research and projects that aim to improve and develop organisations.

Diego Castro Ceacero

Diego Castro Ceacero PhD in Education Sciences. Professor in the Department of Applied Pedagogy at the Autonomous University of Barcelona since 1998. He is a specialist in the field of management of educational institutions. One of his priority lines of work being university management and governance and its processes of innovation and improvement.