(a) whether the percentage of school dropouts was brought down considerably at the primary level but it remained as high as 62-63 per cent at the Secondary level;
(b) if so, the reasons therefor; and
(c) the steps taken by the Government in this regard?
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT
(SMT. D. PURANDESWARI )
(a): The drop out rates has come down, from 31.5 per cent in 2003-
04 to 29.0 per cent in 2004-05 at primary stage (Classes I-V), and
from 62.7 per cent to 61.9 per cent at Secondary stage (Classes I-
X) during the same period .
(b) & (c) : The socio-economic and school related factors affect
dropouts. A multi-pronged approach has been adopted under the Sarva
Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) for reducing dropout rates. These include,
interalia, strengthening of schools and improving the quality of
education through improvement in school infrastructure, recruitment
of additional teachers, provision of annual school grants, regular
training of teachers, regular academic support to teachers etc. In
addition, interventions under SSA also aim at building community
support, flexible schooling for the hardest to reach children,
special provision to promote education of girls, as well as
children with special need. The Mid - day Meal programme
also complements the strategy to reduce dropout rates.
Central Government has decided to implement a centrally
sponsored Scheme for Universalisation of Access to and
Improvement of Quality of Education at Secondary Stage
(SUCCESS) with the objective to make secondary education
of good quality available, accessible and affordable to
all young persons by providing a secondary school within 5
kilometer of every habitation. Besides, it is also
proposed to set up 6,000 good quality secondary schools at
block level, at the rate of one school in each block,
which will serve as benchmark of excellence for other
schools in the area. It has also been decided to implement
various incentive schemes like
(i) `National Means cum
Merit Scholarship`,
(ii) a National Incentive Scheme for
Girls to pursue Secondary Education and
(iii) a Scheme for
Girls` Hostels for Girls studying in secondary classes;
which would also help in reducing drop out rates.