Illiterate parents to blame for school dropouts

A national-level survey has revealed that illiteracy of parents is one of the main reasons behind school dropouts in Chandigarh. A total of 1,090 children, all Dalits, have been reported as school dropouts in the survey and all have illiterate parents.

A national-level survey has revealed that illiteracy of parents is one of the main reasons behind school dropouts in Chandigarh. A total of 1,090 children, all Dalits, have been reported as school dropouts in the survey and all have illiterate parents.

The survey, "National Sample Survey of Estimation of Out-of-School Children in the age 6-13 in India, 2014", was commissioned by Educational Consultants India Limited with support from the ministry of human resource development (MHRD).

Interestingly, the survey, which was released last month, highlights that the education status of children get affected with the educational status and standards of parents.

As per the findings of the survey, in the urban parts of the city, a total of 2.48 lakh children fall in the age group of 6-13, out of which 1.36 lakh are boys and 1.12 lakh are girls.

Out of total number of children, 1,090 have been included in the category of dropout or out-of-school children.

Interestingly, all dropouts are boys in the city and no girls have figured in the survey.

One of the reasons mentioned in the survey due to which parents pull the child out of the school or children themselves opt out is the economical condition of the family.

The study also reflects that a child is required to work in order to add to the household income. Other major reasons are parents do not feel the need for educating their children as they have enough monetary terms at home or business.

Also, the children do not feel like studying as they do not get required atmosphere at home and thus, they show less interest in education.

Anujit Kaur, principal of Government Model Senior Secondary School, Sector 16, said, "Sometimes it becomes really difficult to convince people to send their children to school. They claim earning good from their work and thus they say that the education is just a waste of time for their children. Hawkers or even beggars do not want their children to learn in schools."

Survey in a nutshell

- All dropouts who have figured in the survey are Dalits.

- None of the students has dropout in the age group of 6 to 10 and all these children falls in the age group of 11 to 13.

- None of the students has dropped out from school before completing class 2.

- This is the third survey done by the same body. Earlier, surveys were conducted in 2005 and 2009