School Failure as Systemic Vulnerability: Findings from the Initial Diagnostic Phase

In the HUBS4TEENS project, we implemented the first phase of self-diagnosis across three Slovak schools, aimed at identifying risk factors for school failure. The goal was not to identify "problematic students," but rather to understand the conditions and processes that increase the likelihood of young people gradually disengaging from school.

Lower secondary school teachers, school leadership, and specialist staff (school psychologists, educational counselors, and others) participated in the workshops. They utilized a participatory methodology, which allowed for the naming of risks derived from everyday pedagogical experience rather than just administrative indicators.

From Individual Failure to Systemic Dynamics

One of the most significant findings is a shift in how school failure is understood. Schools no longer view it as an isolated event (such as a formal dropout) but as a process in which various vulnerabilities gradually accumulate.

Across the participating schools, risk factors were grouped into four interconnected areas:

1. Loss of Meaning and Perspective

Low intrinsic motivation does not appear as a primary cause, but often as a consequence of repeated failure and the absence of a clear vision for the future. When a student sees no link between school and their own life trajectory, their engagement naturally declines.

2. Family and Social Conditions

Schools highlighted the importance of the home environment—stability, parental support, study conditions, and linguistic background. In contexts with increased social disadvantage or migration, these factors accumulate and amplify one another.

3. Organizational Demands and Adaptation Challenges

The transition to lower secondary education brings higher demands for independence, planning, and self-regulated learning. Poor study habits or irregular attendance often appear more as signs of adaptive overload than as issues of discipline.

4. Emotional Well-being and Sense of Belonging

Low self-esteem, fear of failure, feelings of rejection, or a weakened relationship with the school emerged as central factors. School failure is closely linked to whether a student feels safe, respected, and accepted within the school environment.

Contextual Specifics

While the core areas were similar, individual schools also identified specific layers of vulnerability:

• Language barriers and adaptation stress among students from Ukrainian backgrounds.
• The accumulation of social disadvantage in regions with a higher proportion of marginalized communities.
• Excessive use of digital technologies as a factor in distraction and fragmented attention.

These factors alone may not lead to dropout; the risk increases when they combine and persist over time without support.

Formal Numbers vs. Real Vulnerability

Official statistics on early school leaving in Slovakia remain relatively low. However, the diagnosis highlighted a broader circle of students who formally remain within the system, but whose engagement, performance, or relationship with the school is gradually weakening.

The distinction between formal "dropout" and functional vulnerability is key. It underscores the need for a preventive approach that acts on early signals before they become irreversible.

Next Step: The Voice of the Students

The first phase provided the perspective of pedagogical and specialist staff. In the next stage, students themselves will be involved through interviews and focus groups. The aim is to confront the professional perspective with their lived experience and create support tools that respond to the real needs of young people.

In this sense, self-diagnosis is not a tool for control, but a tool for the school to learn about its own vulnerabilities—and the possibilities of preventing them.

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This text was produced as part of the Hubs4Teens project, funded by the UniCredit Foundation through the Edu-Fund platform.