Análisis de la deserción en el sistema de educación superior de la ciudad de Machala

Student dropout in higher education remains one of the main challenges to achieving educational quality and equity in Ecuador. This article analyzes the causes, characteristics, and potential interventions related to student attrition in the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences at the Technical University of Machala. It includes a literature review and a time series analysis based on enrollment data from 2018 to 2023. The findings reveal that dropout is a multifactorial phenomenon, involving academic, socioeconomic, and institutional variables. Institutional support mechanisms such as tutoring and the monitoring of course withdrawals are discussed as strategies to improve student retention.