Bangladesh News

Dropout at primary level remains a serious concern, casting a shadow over other successes such as high pass rate and record turnout in the examinations.

Of around 23.16 lakh students who registered to take this year’s primary terminal and Ebtedayee exams, some 1.3 lakh did not appear at the test. The number of absentees was 2.16 lakh last year. And while 1.48 lakh students failed last year, it is only 59,879 this year.

Distribution of cent percent textbooks for free, an increased amount of stipend, and providing free tiffin, among other government steps, contributed greatly to such a decline in both the rates.

Yet the government could not keep all the children in classrooms.

With this year’s exams results published yesterday, education officials fear a large number of the absentees and unsuccessful students will quit their studies. They say many families will not allow their kids to take the exam again due to financial constraints.

“Those who didn’t take the examination or failed are mostly from rural areas. It’s found in most cases that these students feel disinterested to come back to schools since they get involved in jobs to support their families,” said an official of the Directorate of Primary Education.

Many of the unsuccessful students are girls, and once they fail, their parents do not feel encouraged to send them to school, which is also a big problem, he added.

Talking to The Daily Star, a teacher of a city school said, “We need to monitor whether they continue their studies or drop out.”

He also points out that there has yet to be a study as to exactly how many students quit school and why at the primary level.

Experts recommend that the guardians of the unsuccessful students and also those who did not take the exam be provided with motivation for a continuation of their children’s education.

Former caretaker government adviser Rasheda K Chowdhury said a positive trend was seen in the primary education thanks to government intervention, but many children are failing to make it.

There are many reasons behind the dropout and it will take time to cut it to a satisfactory level, said Rasheda, also executive director of Campaign for Popular Education.

The government needs to focus on the underprivileged section, she said, adding that the stipend coverage should be widened and so should midday meals in remote areas.

“The government will have to invest more in education to address these issues,” she noted.