Mostly in SADC region schools, We usually have PTA (Parents and Teachers Association) meetings to improve education delivery to the leaners, so I suggest if these local Parents and Teachers Association (PTA)can be transformed to Electronic Parents and Teachers Association (E-PTA) and start integrating their meetings at online education space which communicates, shares, keeps and deliver education resources that will be a more sustainable future for a zero dropout of school. In this case they will gear this concept right in their communities and households and ensure leaners are following the suite to a more digital education governance where accessibility is boundless, cheap, reliable and more accuracy.

My take is to create a unified approach to the whole education system. I feel that most of the time parents, learners, teachers, and the community operate as separate entities and there is rarely a link. Parents must know, and play their part in the education system and positively so. The community must also know that they are the hub with which the education system occurs. The community thus includes the municipalities, businesses, and other CSOs.

I also feel that the education system is mostly the big contributor to drop-outs. It rarely evolves to become relevant to the times we live in. Things like repeating classes for failing students have never worked, putting all learners in the mainstream schooling system without any analysis of their capabilities. Addressing some of these issues will make a massive positive change.

PTA's are useful mechanism to bridge the divide between school and communities. It can serve and an enrichment opportunity to extend a schools reach and impact.

Using technology to extend the reach and impact of PTA's is a lovely idea but must not exclude those that dont have access to devices or internet. In South Africa for example - rural areas have poor network coverage which often hinders online engagement.

Try accessing some Zero Dropout resources though our whatsapp platform by saying "hello" to 060 054 0000 on whatsapp.

Learner motivation and sense of belonging is an important protective factor for learners to stay in school. It is often what keeps learners going when they are facing circumstances pushing or pulling them from school. See this article about how important school culture is to facilitate this for learners. https://zerodropout.co.za/opinion-reimagining-a-schooling-culture-of-care/

Leaner motivation and sense of belonging are very important protective factors from disengagement and eventual dropout.

Here is a short video on the learners' perspective https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OPN1xXbtap0