Dropout problem deepens in Cooch Behar

 

COOCH BEHAR, July 26: The number of dropout school children is getting higher in Cooch Behar district. Though a large fund was allotted under Sarva Siksha Mission (SSM) scheme for lowering the number of dropouts, the required initiative to bring back the children to the schools is yet to start.

 

It was learnt that the number of dropouts in primary and upper primary levels is increasing. There are 1820 primary schools and 264 upper primary schools in Cooch Behar district. Earlier, a plan was adopted to bring back the dropouts to the schools at the beginning of the session to draw an end to the problem. The ongoing academic session began a few months ago but the plan is yet to be translated to reality. The SSM fund is being utilised for awareness programmes and trainings for the villagers and personnel concerned. This programme is expected to be completed by September.

 

A meeting was held last week to discuss the dropout problem and to find out ways to bring back the students to the academic arena. District Project Officer of SSM Mr Dipankar Pal, chairman of District Primary School Council (DPSC) Md Nuruddin Mian and other officials concerned were present at that meeting. Following the decision adopted at the meeting the Village Education Committees (VECs) were entrusted to identify the dropout children and prepare a fresh list of them. After preparation of the list the SSM will start a fresh drive to bring back the dropout students to the schools. There is also another plan under consideration to offer residential schooling system for the children of poor families to stop an end to the dropout problem, a SSM official said.

 

SSM sources said that there are about 69,000 students in this district who left their schools during the last academic session. The number of dropouts in primary schools was about 24,000 and that in upper primary schools was about 45,000. They had to leave schools due to different reasons including dire poverty. It was not possible for the authorities concerned to bring back them to the regular school education system. The problem is deepening.

 

Since the required action is yet to start to minimise the dropout problem it is feared that it would not be successful during this academic session too. DPSC sources claimed that work was on to ensure bringing back the dropout children with the fund extended under the SSM scheme. SSM officials too echoed the claim and said the SSM scheme to get the dropout children back to schools was going on. The programme may be completed by September, it claimed. []