Par panel dissatisfied with girl students' dropout assessment

A Parliamentary panel on women empowerment today expressed dissatisfaction over government's assessment of dropout rate and retention of girl students in schools, saying they are incongruous when analysed in terms of of cause and effect.
Stating that dropout and non retention of girl students in schools are serious problems, the committee in its report tabled in the Parliament today emphasised on the urgency for obtaining more accurate, consistent and timely data to analyse the reasons contributing to these life altering decisions.
It also suggested prevention strategies like small-size learning communities and school within a school for better personalisation, close interaction between teachers and students, lessening the burden of home work, support for students with disabilities outside the school.

The committee also suggested appointment of an expert panel to identify the indicators responsible for school drop-out-rate along with non-retention of girl child in schools and implement effective preventive strategies.
The committee said it expects that it will be apprised about the outcome of the constitution of said expert panel at the time of action taken report.
Women and Child Development Ministry had mentioned economic disadvantage, workload within and outside the household, sibling care duties, social attitude towards girls' education and disability as the main reasons for high dropout rates of girl students.
The Ministry had also mentioned that the steps taken by it for retention of girl child in schools include provision of a neighbourhood school, two sets of uniforms for all girls within a ceiling of Rs 400 per child per annum, free text books for all girls at primary and upper primary levels.

Transport and escort facility is also provided to children from remote habitations with sparse population where opening of school is not viable. Residential schools for dropouts and vulnerable girls have been opened in Educationally Backward Blocks, the ministry had said.