Participatory education for students at risk of dropping out of primary school in traditional farming communities

Meeting parents' expectations regarding their children's education at school is one strategy for dealing with students at risk of dropping out. Traditional farmer parents have educational expectations for their children that are derived from socio-cultural events, containing traditional knowledge values that can be integrated into schools through a participatory education framework. The participatory education approach was formulated by UNICEF within the framework of the Early Warning System for Students at Risk of Dropping Out. Therefore, this study aims to determine the education expected by traditional farmer parents in Indonesia and the form of participatory education for children at risk of dropping out in traditional farmer communities in Indonesia. A qualitative meta-analysis approach was used to synthesize articles on the educational expectations of traditional farmer parents and participatory education for dropouts. The study found a pattern of educational expectations of traditional farmer parents in dealing with dropouts by changing their beliefs in formal education output by fulfilling contextual competencies and community support in schools. In contrast, implementing participatory education requires a collaborative management model to integrate the educational expectations of traditional farmer parents in schools. These findings recommend PERS (Partnership Education and Farmers' Needs) management in implementing participatory education for students who are at risk of dropping out of primary school in traditional farming communities. • Unmet parental hopes are a key risk factor for school dropout. • Farmers want schools to teach local agricultural knowledge and skills. • Formal education is distrusted unless it aligns with rural livelihood needs. • Dropout prevention should use participatory, context-sensitive strategies. • PERS management fosters collaboration between schools and communities.