From school dropout to migration: education disengagement and youth migratory aspiration

The study, conducted by CeSPI between 2024 and 2025 as part of the Ten4All project, analyses the link between school dropout and migration aspirations among young people in the Dire Dawa area of Ethiopia. Using a mixed methodological approach combining literature review, field research, interviews, focus groups and consultations with local stakeholders, the research examines the socio-economic, psychosocial and environmental factors underlying school dropout and their relationship with migration intentions. The results show that school dropout is both a symptom and a driver of early migration, fuelled mainly by poverty and economic barriers, amplified by cultural norms, gender inequalities and climate variability. The study proposes integrated interventions aimed at strengthening the protective role of the family, school and community, linking education, work and economic resilience.