Despite several schemes introduced by the State government like midday meal, Ksheera Bhagya to attract the students, the number of school dropouts in the district stands at 2,151(6-14 yrs) for the year 2013-14.

According to a survey conducted by department of Public Instructions during the current academic year, 1,297 boys and 854 girls have stayed away from the schools.While Srirangapatna taluk topped the list with 443 drop outs, Pandavapura fared better with 205 dropouts.

Reasons

Illiteracy among parents, poverty, lack of labourers in the rural areas, migration, responsibility of taking care of siblings, are said to be the reasons behind the increasing dropout rate.

It is said that many parents take their wards along with them to work as labourers, while others send their children to work as labourers in hotels, small factories. In case of girls they are sent to work as domestic help.

Shortage of agricultural labourers has turned into a major problem in villages, and the school children are lured by the farmers during sowing and harvesting season.

As many parents from Nagamangala, Malavalli, K R Pet taluks migrate to other regions in search of work, it is not possible for them to admit their wards to schools, denying them the right to study.

As per the rules, it is mandatory to provide education for children between six and 14 years. 

Though free textbooks, uniforms were distributed along with implementation of Ksheera Bhagya and midday meal scheme, the Education department has not been successful in retaining the students.

District Planning Officer Mahadevappa said that the process of identifying school dropouts has already begun, and till now 431 students have been identified and efforts are being made to bring them back to school.

 However, if more than 10 dropouts are found at one place, arrangements are being made to hold special classes for them, he added.

Data

Following is the list of school dropouts in 2013-14 as per the survey K R Pet - 216 (119 boys, 97 girls); Maddur - 406 (246 boys, 160 girls); Malavalli - 257 (134, 123); Mandya - 401 (253, 148); Nagamangala - 223 (137, 86); Pandavapura - 205 (137; 68); Srirangapatna - 443 (271, 172).