Silvia is in the last year of lower secondary education. Her grades have been average in recent years but now she is at risk of having to repeat the grade due to high absenteeism. She enjoys going to school to be with her friends but feels that classes are boring and that ‘school is not her thing’. The only subject she likes is science because they often perform experiments and this helps understand the concepts explained. Her parents would like her to continue studying but they did not finish school themselves and do not know how to help her.

Some learners are still at school but their minds are often elsewhere. They come to school because it is an opportunity to see their friends, or because they like some of the subjects or teachers. Their prior educational achievements can be average or below average, and they are often absent. They have low aspirations that can be linked to a lack of family support. Some may have health issues such as depression.