28/08/2006

 

Bihar tops schoolgirl drop-out rate

M Shamsur Rabb Khan

So, Bihar tops again. This time in schoolgirls' dropout chart. Last week, the Parliament was informed that the number of schoolgirls quitting class before crossing the secondary level is the highest in Bihar followed by West Bengal. While Bihar scored 85.36% up to class X and 79.62% up to class XII in dropout chart, West Bengal 84.44% of schoolgirls quit class before crossing the secondary level. In 1997-87, Bihar was on third place with 87.68% dropout rate of girl child compared to Rajasthan with 89.25% (top) followed by West Bengal with 88.7% in class I-X category though it led in the category of class I-VIII with 80.48% followed by West Bengal (71.11%) and Rajasthan (69.73%). Meghalaya, however, had the highest dropout rate for both male and female schoolchildren up to Class X. In comparison, Kerala showed the lowest dropout rate of 8.58% for both male and female students up to Class X. The state's dropout rate for the elementary level stood at just 9.54%. According to the 2003-04 data, the north-eastern state recorded 83.24% of its school children dropping out before passing the secondary stage.

 

The number of out-of-school children has increased and is estimated to be over 100 million of whom 60% are girls. Of every 100 girls enrolled in Class I, there are only 40 who continue up to Class V, only 18 up to Class VIII, only 9 up to Class IX, and only one up to Class XII. The average dropout rate according to Education For All (EFA) assessment (2000) is 25.8%, the highest girl dropout rates, over 40%, being observed in Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal.

In the new millennium, there has been a great deal of buzz about India taking off as a "knowledge-based economy and society the dropout rate in schools continues to be "unacceptably high", especially the girl child. In 59 years of Independence, the socio-political system has failed miserably to ensure that at least a majority of children between the ages of 6 and 14 are in school. In practice, dropout rate in Indian primary, middle and high schools, particularly for girls, continues to be shamefully high, despite constitutional obligations on the part of the State. In fact, the responsibility rests with successive State and Central Governments. Education scenario, especially the girl child education in Bihar remains bleak because of the misrule of the successive governments.

Although the literacy rate has nearly increased three times in the second half of the 20th century to about one-third of the state's population, Bihar still ranks low in literacy among Indian states. The rate for males is significantly higher than that for females. The state's general aim is to educate all children at least up to the age of 14. About 90% of those eligible are enrolled in the primary schools, but only a small proportion reach the secondary level, as economic necessity forces them to work.

In April this year, the Patna High Court took exception to the deteriorating condition of the school education system of the state. The High Court asked the state government to file an affidavit detailing the present education scenario in Bihar. The directive of the Court was in response to a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by the Shiksha Bachao Andolan Samiti, New Delhi. The lawyer for the petitioners informed the single-judge bench of Justice Radha Mohan Prasad that about Rs 1,100 crore had come to Bihar under the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) but this money could not be utilised.

One of the major reasons for children being kept out-of-school was the lack of education of parents. The Public Report on Basic Education (popularly referred to as the PROBE report) sought to find reasons for both dropouts and never-enrolment of children in five states (Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Bihar). The reasons for such high dropout rates among girls include: lack of lavatory facilities in schools, travel distance to school, lack of concerned and trained teachers, compulsion to work at home or to earn, etc. Social ethos aided and abetted with poverty also plays a major role in compelling the girls to discontinue education after a certain stage. Besides, high fee rates in public schools alienate the poor students to quit school, as government schools are seldom serious in providing quality education. Chances of dropping out are less if either parent has had at least "some education." States with low dropout rates are ones that made good strides in education and are the same ones ahead in socio-economic development and with better lifestyles to its people.

A recent World Bank survey found that 25% of government primary school teachers in India are absent from work. Only 50% of teachers are actually engaged in the act of teaching while at work, according to the report. It is quite rare that a teacher actually shows up for class. The worst offender is Jharkhand (41.9%), followed by Bihar (37.8%) and Punjab (34.4%). This means that in Bihar if you want into a school randomly 37.8% of the teachers will be absent. Even higher pay perks for teachers in Bihar don't help in skipping the school. Another vital reason is the low expenditure on infrastructure and more on salary. For example, Over 97% of the primary education budget of Rs 7200 crore goes towards salary of teachers and other staff. And only 3% i.e. 216 crore is allocated to cover other areas, which include school infrastructure, new schools, textbooks, and other sundry expenditures.

In reply to another question, the Parliament was told that a report by the National Institute of Educational Planning and Administration has showed that 9,292 government primary schools across 581 districts in the country had no teachers up to September 30, 2004. Also, the report showed that 121,728 primary schools in the country had only one teacher each. This is no less a mountainous hurdle in the way of retaining girls within school premises.

Mid-Day Meal Scheme introduced in Rajasthan in the government and government-aided primary schools has had a positive effect on enrolment of children, particularly the girl child at the elementary level. A survey conducted by an NGO revealed that the enrollment of the girls registered an increase in 58% of the schools surveyed while it was found that quality of education improved in 49% of them. Such initiatives from NGOs in Bihar could help improve the grim situation also, as there is always a silver lining in the clouds. In addition, NRIs from Bihar need to come forward in investing education sector with a visionary leadership from the political circle, including the government department. However, all these need the enterprising efforts. The scenes are changing fast, yet, Bihar has "miles to go" before it gives weight to human development, especially the education of girl child.


Education for all continues to be acute problem in India. Despite the fact that government targets were education for all by 2000. An estimated facts are as below, 33% of children above age of 7 are illiterate, 42 million are not able to get access to basic education. And 100 million children are out of the school. The plight of girls remains considerably worse then the boys. Drop out rates are increased in recent Years, according to the recent statistics, over 40% of the children in class 1 to 4 dropped in 1999-2000 compared to 38% in 1997-1998.

Reduce the drop out from the school is major challenge. 80%of the poor live in rural area where barrier to staying in the school can be classified in following way.

* Lack of schools approximately 16.6% of the habitants is not served by primary school with in a distance of 1km.

* In case of upper primary school 28.5% of the habitants are not served with in the official distance norm of 3km. poor quality of existing school.
Poor infrastructure of the school, 40% of schools children have no access to safe drinking Water and 10% schools are rum in thatched hut.

* Lack of trained teachers is also the one of the reason of poor attendance.

There are reasons on the demand side also; these are direct cost, opportunity cost and social taboos especially in case of girls. Girls are often taken out of the school to help with family responsibilities such as caring for the younger siblings; fetching water and cooking at the time of harvest, as even wage earner go to work in three shifts during season. Girls are also likely to be taken out of school, if there is no transportation available to the secondary or high school parents avoid sending girls.

United Nations cannot achieve millennium goal, unless India does effective role in education of its children, especially girls.

Drop-out Rates of Girl Child (1997-98)

State

Class I to V

I to VIII

I to X

Andhra Pradesh

47.03

74.92

79.09

Assam

42.43

68.7

75.66

Bihar

62

80.48

87.68

Gujarat

33.98

64.7

72.24

Haryana

15.59

35.56

53.02

Himachal Pradesh

31.03

26.42

53.9

Jammu & Kashmir

33.63

43.38

69.28

Karnataka

33.46

60.95

68.1

Kerala

0

0.67

19.78

Madhya Pradesh

27.89

59.76

76.88

Maharashtra

25.73

46.35

64.75

Orissa

47.9

62.85

77.4

Punjab

21.82

30.5

50.1

Rajasthan

57.99

69.73

89.25

Tamil Nadu

16.18

34.64

65.74

Uttar Pradesh

55.98

57.28

71.69

West Bengal

54.15

71.11

88.7

India

41.34

58.61

72.67

Education sector - Budget 2006-07

  • 31.5 per cent increment for education with a total expenditure of Rs 24,115 crore and a 22 per cent increase to Rs 12,546 crore for health.
  • Increment in allocation money for primary education from Rs 7,156 crore to Rs 10,041 crore.
  • More focus and emphasis will be given to recruit more teachers and set up new schools this year.
  • Five lakh additional classrooms to be constructed and 1.5 lakh additional teachers to be appointed.
  • Increase in allocation for national Urdu education programme from Rs 10 crore to Rs 13 crore this year.
  • 1,000 schools for girls of SCs, STs, OBCs and minorities to be set up.
  • A girl child will get Rs 3,000 deposited in a bank account after she enrols for eighth class examination and the amount would be given when she becomes a major.
  • Allocation for mid-day meal scheme to be enhanced to Rs 4813 crore as against Rs 3014 crore this year.
  • Budgetary provision for the National Rural Health Mission increased to Rs 8,207 crore from Rs 6,553 crore.

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