<p>The high dropout rates in schools in several states, including Karnataka, during 2020-21, as revealed by data from the Ministry of Education, is a matter of concern when the education sector is considered to be recovering from the damage caused by the Covid pandemic. Karnataka, with a dropout rate of 14.6%, is in the company of states like Bihar and Gujarat, which had dropout rates higher than the national average of 12.6%.</p>.<p>Bihar had the highest rate at 20.7%, followed by Assam, Meghalaya, Punjab and Andhra Pradesh. Uttar Pradesh also had high dropout rates. The New Education Policy (NEP) has set the goal of achieving 100% Gross Enrolment Rate (GER) in schools by 2030. The continuing high dropout rates in many states will make it difficult to achieve it. Even the national dropout rate of 12.6% is high. </p>.<p><strong>Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/state/top-karnataka-stories/dh-exclusive-37-lakh-students-didnt-make-it-to-college-in-karnataka-1184685.html" target="_blank">DH Exclusive | 37 lakh students didn't make it to college in Karnataka</a></strong></p>.<p>Karnataka has to seriously deal with its high dropout problem. Indications of the high numbers of dropouts and out of school children were already available. The state government told the High Court last year that over a million children were out of schools and Anganwadis in the state. The figures were based on a door-to-door survey done across the state on the directions of the court in response to a 2013 PIL which had sought action to bring back children who have dropped out of schools. That shows that the problem is not of recent origin. There have been other surveys also that showed the high dropout rates. According to other reports last year, the retention level of students was 87% at the elementary level, 78% at the secondary level and a poor 46% at the higher secondary level. This meant that over 50% of the students who joined the first standard did not complete their school education. Earlier this year, there were also reports that 3.7 million students in the state did not make it to the college level as they dropped out at the school or pre-university level. </p>.<p>This is a major challenge for the new government. The previous government was perhaps more interested in changing the syllabus and other controversial issues than in addressing issues like the dropout rate. The reasons, which may even vary from district to district, need to be found out. Poverty, persistence of child labour, spurt in child marriages, the low number of high schools compared to primary and middle schools, poor infrastructure and facilities like toilets and even the difficult syllabus at the high school level have been cited as reasons for the high dropout levels. These need to be addressed and it should be ensured that all children are enrolled in schools and that they complete their education.</p>
<p>The high dropout rates in schools in several states, including Karnataka, during 2020-21, as revealed by data from the Ministry of Education, is a matter of concern when the education sector is considered to be recovering from the damage caused by the Covid pandemic. Karnataka, with a dropout rate of 14.6%, is in the company of states like Bihar and Gujarat, which had dropout rates higher than the national average of 12.6%.</p>.<p>Bihar had the highest rate at 20.7%, followed by Assam, Meghalaya, Punjab and Andhra Pradesh. Uttar Pradesh also had high dropout rates. The New Education Policy (NEP) has set the goal of achieving 100% Gross Enrolment Rate (GER) in schools by 2030. The continuing high dropout rates in many states will make it difficult to achieve it. Even the national dropout rate of 12.6% is high. </p>.<p><strong>Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/state/top-karnataka-stories/dh-exclusive-37-lakh-students-didnt-make-it-to-college-in-karnataka-1184685.html" target="_blank">DH Exclusive | 37 lakh students didn't make it to college in Karnataka</a></strong></p>.<p>Karnataka has to seriously deal with its high dropout problem. Indications of the high numbers of dropouts and out of school children were already available. The state government told the High Court last year that over a million children were out of schools and Anganwadis in the state. The figures were based on a door-to-door survey done across the state on the directions of the court in response to a 2013 PIL which had sought action to bring back children who have dropped out of schools. That shows that the problem is not of recent origin. There have been other surveys also that showed the high dropout rates. According to other reports last year, the retention level of students was 87% at the elementary level, 78% at the secondary level and a poor 46% at the higher secondary level. This meant that over 50% of the students who joined the first standard did not complete their school education. Earlier this year, there were also reports that 3.7 million students in the state did not make it to the college level as they dropped out at the school or pre-university level. </p>.<p>This is a major challenge for the new government. The previous government was perhaps more interested in changing the syllabus and other controversial issues than in addressing issues like the dropout rate. The reasons, which may even vary from district to district, need to be found out. Poverty, persistence of child labour, spurt in child marriages, the low number of high schools compared to primary and middle schools, poor infrastructure and facilities like toilets and even the difficult syllabus at the high school level have been cited as reasons for the high dropout levels. These need to be addressed and it should be ensured that all children are enrolled in schools and that they complete their education.</p>
