Govt to launch drive to woo school dropouts

| | BHUBANESWAR
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Govt to launch drive to woo school dropouts

Sunday, 15 May 2022 | Pioneer News Service | BHUBANESWAR

Expressing concern over the abysmally low

attendance of students after the Covid-19 pandemic in the State, the

School and Mass Education (S & ME) Department on Saturday

 

announced that it has come up with a strategy to bring back the school

dropouts.

Speaking to reporters, S & ME Minister Samir Ranjan Dash said it has

been observed that only 70 per cent of the students are attending

physical classes after reopening of schools this year. The department has

planned a strategy to ensure 100-per cent attendance of students.

“As part of the strategy, the department will engage teachers,

Sarpanches or School Management and Development Committee

(SMDC) Presidents and women Self Help Group (SHG) members for a

micro-level survey to be conducted to list out the dropout students. The

teachers may also visit houses of the dropouts and discuss with their

parents to know the reason of their absence from the school,” said the

Minister, adding that the drive aims at ensuring 100% attendance of

students in schools from the next academic session.

“The concerned authorities have been directed to submit school-wise

reports on absentees of the recently-concluded Matric examination

within 10 days. The exact reason behind their absence from the Board

exam will be ascertained once the reports come in,” he said.

Dash also informed that though the Government has curtailed the

summer vacation to 11 days, schools would remain closed on May 16

and May 30 for Buddha Purnima and Savitri Amavasya, respectively.

Earlier yesterday, the department wrote a letter to all district Collectors

appraising them about the strategy for dropouts.

Quoting an analysis on daily attendance provided by the District

Education Officers (DEOs), the department said, “Attendance of

students from Class-I to Class-V in districts like Malkanagiri, Boudh,

Gajapati, Sambalpur and Nuapada is less than the State average. In case

of attendance for Class-VI to Class-VIII, the performance of districts

like Malkanagiri, Boudh, Sambalpur and Nuapada is also less than the

State average. In the secondary wing, performance of districts like

Gajapati, Balangir, Bargarh, Subarnapur, Nuapada, Cuttack, Khordha,

Koraput, Ganjam, Boudh, Malkangiri, Keonjhar and Sambalpur is less

than the State average. The overall attendance of higher secondary

classes is abysmally low in Gajapati, Subarnapur, Bargarh, Kandhamal

and Nuapada districts, which is matter of concern.”

 

“During review meetings conducted by the department, it was observed

that many students passing out from Class-VIII are not taking

readmission in Class-IX and they might be dropping out. Special care

will be taken to get them admitted at the secondary level in the nearby

schools,” the letter read.

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