Primary school dropout

For decreasing dropout even more, free education for all should indeed be the target the nation now needs to set for itself

Though primary school dropout rate is decreasing, the rate is not very encouraging. The Annual Primary School Census (APSC) 2016 report says the dropout rate was 19.2 per cent in 2016 as against 20.4 per cent in 2015. If you make a year by year count, this may appear “statistically insignificant”, but over a long period of time it is an achievement indeed. The rate of tender-aged children leaving their schools in 2005 was 47.2 per cent but it was below 20 per cent last year within a period of 12 years. 
But the worrying point about dropout is that in Grade-3 and Grade-4 at the primary level the highest dropout is occurring. In Grade-4, it is 9.8 per cent and in Grade-3, it is 4.2 per cent. Overall boys saying goodbye to education are more in number than girls. One positive finding of the APSC study is that school enrolment is significantly increasing over the years. Obviously, the family of the children leaving school at this very age are not financially capable to continue children’s education and in most cases they leave school to earn a livelihood for themselves or for their family members. This is particularly true about the high school dropouts.  
Still that the dropout rate is decreasing is a positive fact and the relevant government departments must work diligently for still more reduction in the percentage of dropouts. Until and unless a student studies up to secondary level, his education will offer him nothing in financial terms, not to mention about those who are leaving before their completion of primary education. 
It would not be practical to set the target of dropout at zero, but the government must ensure that the students at least cross the primary level—best it would be the threshold of Secondary School Certificate (SSC)—so that they can take some vocational technical education at some point of their early life. 
For decreasing dropout even more, free education for all should indeed be the target the nation now needs to set for itself to achieve. Even at the nation’s present financial condition this is possible. As the spectre of extreme poverty is gradually leaving our society, so is the curse of illiteracy. Even a decade ago, the rate of girl children attending school is much lower. Inclusive education is showing good results in this regard. Education has now become a commodity and the haves are buying it and the have-nots are not being able to do that. Education policy makers have to see that all children avail education for them.

Primary school dropout

For decreasing dropout even more, free education for all should indeed be the target the nation now needs to set for itself

Though primary school dropout rate is decreasing, the rate is not very encouraging. The Annual Primary School Census (APSC) 2016 report says the dropout rate was 19.2 per cent in 2016 as against 20.4 per cent in 2015. If you make a year by year count, this may appear statistically insignificant, but over a long period of time it is an achievement indeed. The rate of tender-aged children leaving their schools in 2005 was 47.2 per cent but it was below 20 per cent last year within a period of 12 years. But the worrying point about dropout is that in Grade-3 and Grade-4 at the primary level the highest dropout is occurring. In Grade-4, it is 9.8 per cent and in Grade-3, it is 4.2 per cent. Overall boys saying goodbye to education are more in number than girls. One positive finding of the APSC study is that school enrolment is significantly increasing over the years. Obviously, the family of the children leaving school at this very age are not financially capable to continue childrens education and in most cases they leave school to earn a livelihood for themselves or for their family members. This is particularly true about the high school dropouts. Still that the dropout rate is decreasing is a positive fact and the relevant government departments must work diligently for still more reduction in the percentage of dropouts. Until and unless a student studies up to secondary level, his education will offer him nothing in financial terms, not to mention about those who are leaving before their completion of primary education. It would not be practical to set the target of dropout at zero, but the government must ensure that the students at least cross the primary levelbest it would be the threshold of Secondary School Certificate (SSC)so that they can take some vocational technical education at some point of their early life. For decreasing dropout even more, free education for all should indeed be the target the nation now needs to set for itself to achieve. Even at the nations present financial condition this is possible. As the spectre of extreme poverty is gradually leaving our society, so is the curse of illiteracy. Even a decade ago, the rate of girl children attending school is much lower. Inclusive education is showing good results in this regard. Education has now become a commodity and the haves are buying it and the have-nots are not being able to do that. Education policy makers have to see that all children avail education for them.