Student Dropouts and their Economic Impact in the Post-Pandemic Era: A Systematic Literature Review

A systematic literature review (SLR) was conducted to investigate the factors contributing to student dropouts and their economic impact in the post-Covid-19 pandemic era. This article explores specific themes through 21 different articles. The articles have been found through two databases, namely SCOPUS and Web of Science. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) technique was administered as a guide for systematic reviews and data collection and subsequently used in the implementation of the study. Studies published between the years 2020 and 2024 were considered for this systematic review. The findings of the study reveal four factors contributing to student dropouts during the post-pandemic era. Meanwhile, this study also identified two themes from the economic impact of student dropouts during the post-pandemic era. Thus, several strategies have also been proposed, such as the granting of government financial aid, the establishment of guidance and counseling units, free health screening services, organizing workshops and religious societies, enhancing the role of parents, improving the relationship between instructors and students, providing incentives, organizing mentor-mentee programs, providing public transportation, and the construction of conducive dormitories and safe roads to overcome the issue of student dropouts as a result of the above factors.