Reclaiming talented high school dropouts

A Canadian professor's initiative to help at-risk, talented high-school dropouts has gained traction across the globe and could be a model for Middle East countries to follow.

Dr Ken McCluskey, dean and Professor of Education at the University of Winnipeg, presented the findings of his Lost Prizes project, established in the early 90s, at the 6th International Conference on Excellence in Education 2012 hosted by Dubai Women's College last week.

The conference was held in partnership with the Paris-based International Centre for Innovation in Education and other international institutions.

McCluskey told participants how the high school dropouts he worked with in the city of Winnipeg had become withdrawn and unproductive, with some in trouble with the law. "Lost Prizes was a way to reconnect with these individuals, awaken their dormant creative potential and motivate them to do something more productive with their lives."

He described at-risk students as having a different reality from those who have a more favoured background in terms of resources and education. The characteristics of these students include low socio-economic status, poverty, from the inner city, male, transient, coming from a minority group etc.

Out of ivory towers

"Our university in Winnipeg is in the core area of the city — it's where the drug deals happen and where you see gang involvement and prostitution. We are living it everyday."

He said university types needed to get out of their ivory towers and recognise problems in the community to make a difference. "And we tried hard to do that." Facilitators worked with participants in a classroom setting where interventions, career awareness training, and creative problem solving was taught. The students learned how to make educational, career and life decisions that would move them from their current reality to a desired future state.

Of the 88 participants, 57 returned to high school and entered post-secondary programmes at university or community and some got employment. The programme ended in 1999, but has led to new ventures in Africa, Thailand, Jordan, India, Turkey, Cuba, Mexico and Peru.

In Thailand, a Lost Prizes school will soon be built for village children in Buriram and another is being planned for Bangkok. Kenya will soon be opening a Lost Prizes school and Nairobi will have a training centre set up.