The priority of BRIDGE is to promote well-being and mental health within first and second-grade secondary school classes through a new paradigm that views activities aimed at integrating students at risk of school dropout as a means to develop emotional and relational skills for everyone: teachers, educators, and students.
BRIDGE further prioritizes social inclusion by fostering a new approach in classrooms where educators and teachers work not only ON the individual student at risk of dropout but WITH him/her, considering their difficulties as a means to develop the social and emotional skills of the entire class.
The priorities of the BRIDGE project are based on various research findings that have highlighted that one of the factors that help reduce school dropout is the establishment of an inclusive, welcoming, and individual-focused school climate. The conclusions of a study conducted in Slovenia and described in Danijela Makovec's article, "AN INTERNATIONAL COMPARISON OF FACTORS THAT AFFECT EARLY SCHOOL LEAVING," Andragoška spoznanja, 2018, 24(4), 109-125, are cited below.
The article discusses the factors that influence dropping out of schooling and the measures taken in Slovenia to prevent it.
“In the article, we analyzed early school leaving in Slovenia, its systemic characteristics, and measures that, in our opinion, reduce it. Reducing early school leaving is one of the most important tasks in EU strategies, as it is believed to help combat unemployment and improve access to education.
We can conclude that Slovenia is a "success story" when it comes to dropout and early school leaving, as international data shows that Slovenian rates of early school leaving are among the lowest in the EU. However, measures to retain students in schools must still be introduced and maintained. This is also in line with government policy, which aims to provide support to dropouts and those who leave the education system as soon as they exit the education system (Barle Lakota and Černoša, 2011).
From the presented information in the article, we can determine that measures in our country are currently moving in two directions. The first is individualization, guidance, and support for less successful students and pupils, and the second is the development of methods and strategies that support the development of competencies that ensure success in education.
In addition to the above, one of the main reasons for the low rate of early school leaving in Slovenia can also be attributed to the openness of the (vocational) education system, which allows relatively easy transition between different types of educational programs. At each level of education, students have numerous options for vertical transitions, all the way to tertiary education or less demanding vocational programs. The system also allows for horizontal mobility, thus allowing for corrections of potential "wrong decisions" in choosing a secondary school program. While there may be fewer opportunities to transition from vocational to general education (gymnasiums), the possibility of transitioning to tertiary education is not closed.
Another important reason for the low dropout rate in Slovenia, which is actually a continuation of the described openness of the system, is the rich and diverse school network. Many secondary schools (or school centers) offer content-similar programs at different levels of ISCED. This means that students who are not successful in more demanding programs (ISCED 3) have the opportunity to transition to lower, less demanding programs (ISCED 2). Thus, these students do not abandon schooling, as they have a "second chance" to continue their education and obtain a certain level of formal education. Furthermore, they can continue their education in an environment they are already familiar with, which is also important from the perspective of school environment factors.
We conclude that the Slovenian educational system, together with policy measures, effectively influences the continuation of young people's education. Despite the low rate of early school leaving, it is necessary to consider a more systematic implementation of preventive measures, particularly to better adapt the educational system to the needs of young people, actively involve young people in shaping such processes, and encourage them with appropriate vocational guidance to have a positive attitude towards education.
One of the measures at the institutional level is the care for improving the school climate, which some authors understand as a hidden factor of school success or failure (Jimerson, Anderson, and Whipple, 2002; Stearns et al., 2007). This can be related to the way education is organized, creating a less rigid atmosphere, improving collective and team working conditions, etc. This is a particularly important aspect of school work, as it has been found that strengthening the sense of attachment to school significantly influences the prevention of early school leaving (De Witte et al., 2013; Markussen, Frøseth, and Sandberg, 2011).
An area that requires additional attention from policy makers and experts is groups at high risk (e.g., young people with disabilities, migrants). Teachers need to develop competencies to work with different intercultural student groups, and schools should receive more resources for Slovene language courses, work with Roma students, individualization of programs for students with special needs, extended schooling for students with special needs, etc.
Early school leaving, or dropout, is undoubtedly a very topical issue, and based on statistical data about the state in EU countries, it is quite acute. In Slovenia, we can boast a low dropout rate, which can be attributed to the openness of the education system and the measures implemented in the country. However, data still show that there are groups that the measures do not reach and who leave school despite assistance. Therefore, we believe that we must not "rest on the laurels of a good state," but systematically address the problems that remain unresolved in dropout. Not because of statistics or EU requirements, but because of people, as even the latest PISA research findings show that "socio-economic status strongly affects student performance, but disadvantaged students perform well in more equitable education systems" (OECD, 2018, p. 15).”
