Self-Determination and Academic Persistence among Alternative Learning System Students: Implications for Program Enrichment

Education is a critical determinant of student success; however, numerous factors hinder degree completion among some Filipinos. In this context, 'non-traditional students' encompass out-of-school children, youth, and adults. This demographic exhibits an elevated dropout risk compared to other students. Specifically, in Lipa City, only 89.42% of non-traditional students complete their programs, with a dropout rate of 10.58%, which prompted the conduct of the present study. Using a correlational research design, this study investigates the correlation between self-determination and academic persistence among non-traditional students. Survey instruments, including a demographic data form, the Self-Determination Student Scale, and the Academic Persistence Scale, were administered to 150 randomly selected participants. Findings indicate high levels of self-determination and academic persistence, with a positive correlation between the two variables: as self-determination increases, so does academic persistence. However, the sub-factor of relatedness within self-determination scored moderately, as did the implementation subscale of academic persistence. These results highlight the need for collaborative efforts from teachers, the Department of Education, and other stakeholders to enhance interpersonal skills and persistence among non-traditional students, thereby improving completion rates. The study recommends that mobile teachers support students in developing time management skills and organizing team-building activities to foster peer socialization. Future research should explore additional factors influencing academic persistence and employ diverse research designs to obtain more comprehensive data beyond the scope of correlational studies.