The development and growth of any emerging economy rests on the shoulders of the youth of that nation. The countries in various parts of the world are experiencing alarming rate of drop-outs of students from the education system. It is of paramount importance that the reasons are identified and addressed. This is of greater importance to the various economies in the Middle East and GCC who aim to diversify by creating a knowledge economy. This paper attempts to identify the macro and the micro perspectives behind student drop-outs from the tertiary education and endeavors to suggest some intervention strategies to address this phenomenon. The methodology involved collection and analysis of the secondary data available followed by a qualitative research at a private educational institution in Oman. The findings were analyzed using Gilbert‟s Behavioral Engineering Model. The results indicate that personal, academic and financial reasons contribute to the majority of student dropouts. These can be effectively detected, measured and addressed by putting in place proper institution-wide systems and partnerships and by offering contextually relevant academic and student support services.

The development and growth of any emerging economy rests on the shoulders of the youth of that nation. The countries in various parts of the world are experiencing alarming rate of drop-outs of students from the education system. It is of paramount importance that the reasons are identified and addr...