Adolescent school dropout in localized rural contexts: a comparative ecological systems analysis

Adolescent school dropout remains a pressing challenge in the Global South, particularly in rural and underserved contexts. This study employs a qualitative comparative case design to examine dropout trajectories among adolescents in Banjarnegara District, Central Java, Indonesia, and Gilgit District, Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan. Guided by Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Theory, six key factors were identified: lack of motivation, family problems, peer and social influences, geographical barriers, gender discrimination and cultural norms, and financial constraints. Findings demonstrate how these ecological drivers operate differently across microsystem, mesosystem, exosystem, and macrosystem levels, underscoring the interdependence of individual, familial, institutional, and cultural influences. The study contributes theoretically by extending Bronfenbrenner’s framework to subnational comparative contexts and introducing the notion of spatially localized disadvantages to capture rural educational exclusion. Limitations include the small sample size and focus on two sites, indicating the need for mixed methods and broader comparative designs in future research. Overall, the study advances a nuanced understanding of adolescent educational exclusion in underserved settings. Importantly, the findings are case-specific and should not be interpreted as nationally representative for Indonesia or Pakistan.