English, cost of curricular activities lead to dropout: Study

A study, made on children belonging to the economically weaker sections and disadvantaged group ( EWS- DG) category dropping out of private schools in Delhi- NCR, blamed issues such as communication in English; cost of extracurricular activities; and “inadequate reimbursement” on education expenditures.

The study, called ‘ Implementation of Section 12( 1) ( c) of Right to Education ( RTE) Act 2009 in Delhi pertaining to admission of children from disadvantaged sections in private schools,’ was conducted by the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights ( NCPCR).

Section 12 ( 1) ( c) of the RTE Act fixes the responsibility of private unaided schools to provide free and compulsory education to children from the weaker and disadvantaged sections by admitting at least one- fourth of the total strength of Class 1 or preschool education.

As per the study, the dropout rate in 2011 was around 26 per cent, which came down to 10 per cent in 2014 but showed no major progress thereafter. The study was based on data submitted by 650 schools across Delhi on a year- wise dropout rate.

One of the main reasons given by a school is that after allotment under EWS category, parents did not show interest in admission. It added that the institute also did not try to follow- up with them. Due to the lack of follow- up by the school or authorities, the seats remain vacant.

The study also flagged concern over another trend noticed about dropouts. It said that schools have no clarity on what steps they need to follow next in case the EWS/ DG category students leave school or don’t join at all. According to documents collected by NCPCR during the onsite visit of schools, in case a child does not join at all, the school needs to send a notification to the DoE stating the student allotted to them has not joined and that the seat is empty.

“As per the analysis of data, it is clear that most of the schools don’t take any initiative to fill the empty seats while few try filling it with general category students. The schools quote absence of proper norms from the DoE to maintain the ratio till Class 8 as a reason for not taking admission after the entry class,” the study said.

The RTE Act 2009 nowhere restricts the schools from taking admission in any other elementary level class to maintain the 25 per cent ratio,” the study added.

Meanwhile, parents claimed books and extracurricular activities cost a lot, which forced them to leave school.