INVESTIGATING THE CAUSES OF STUDENTS’ DROPOUT FROM THE DIPLOMA ENGINEERING PROGRAMS IN THE POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTES OF BANGLADESH

School dropout rates are staggeringly high in developing countries, even for elementary school children (Graeff-Martins, 2006). It is widely recognized that dropped out students often experience difficulty in making the transition from institution to productive activities in adulthood, particularly in training and employment. This paper reports the results of a survey conducted to examine the root causes leading to student dropout at polytechnic institutes of Bangladesh. Data was gathered from 13 polytechnic institutes across the country. This paper presents the results of a survey designed to investigate the relationship between dropout with social, institutional, economic and personal factors based on the opinions of teachers, dropout students and the guardians of dropout students. It also proves female students are more reluctant in the polytechnic environment and they are not encouraged. Finally, the paper presents the reasons provided by the teachers, dropped out students for drooping out, with the main reasons being the frequent students’ violence due to political involvement and the perceived difficulty they are facing from the social and economic perspectives.