Govt devises strategy to bring dropout students to mainstream

BHUBANESWAR: The school and mass education department has devised a micro level strategy to bring the dropout students back to classrooms and to make the students and parents aware regarding the benefits of education.
On analysis of the daily attendance figure provided by the district education officers, it is seen that about 70 percent students are attending the classes.However, on detailed analysis of the figure, it is seen that the attendance in class I to class V in case of districts like Malkangiri, Boudh, Gajapati, Sambalpur and Nuapada is less than the state average.
Similarly, in case of attendance for class VI to Class VIII, the of districts like Malkangiri, Boudh, Sambalpur and Nuapada is also less than the state average. Many districts have reported less attendance than the state average in secondary and higher secondary level too.
In course of review meeting conducted by the department, it is observed that many students passing out from class VIII are not taking readmission in class-IX and they might be dropping out. “Special care to be taken to get them admitted at secondary level in the nearby school,” said school and mass education department secretary Bishnupada Sethi.
Keeping this situation in mind, Sethi on Friday requested all district collectors to implement location specific strategy by engaging junior teachers, members of panchayati raj institutions (PRIs), women self-help groups (WHGs) and school managing committee.
He suggested that a micro level survey may be conducted at the school level to list out the students who are not coming to the school. The junior teachers may be sent to the houses of the absentee students to know the reasons of their absence from the school. The benefit of learning recovery plan must be explained at every level including the students.