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The Udupi district has the highest literacy rate and also is on top of the table in the SSLC examination results in the state. Surprisingly, according to a survey, 123 children in the age group of 6 to 14 dropped out of schools in the current academic year.

According to the survey, the migration of parents was the major cause for the dropouts and 73 children belonged to parents, who had moved out of the district.

Five children have not been admitted to the school.  In Udupi educational zone, 73 children dropped out followed by Kundapur ( 28), Brahmavara (20) and Baindur (two). The Udupi district has 956 government, aided and unaided primary schools. All the dropouts were from government schools.

The dropouts were categorised under “migration”, “not interested” and “parents are not interested”. Children support their parents  by earning or taking care of their younger siblings in the house. At least 43 students were brought back to the school, DDPI Nagendra Madyastha told Deccan Herald. 

It was a very difficult task to bring back the school dropouts despite awareness created by the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyana.

“In most of the cases, parents are against the idea of sending their children to schools. Once children get used to a routine life, where they need not attend school, they prefer to help parents. They find fun in begging and taking care of their younger siblings and also doing household chores,” he added.

The new feature of this year’s survey was photographs of children were taken on the spot and digitised version would be preserved with the database of such children.
The photographs will help the department in tracking children.

Till last year, the details were being maintained without photographs. “However, this year, clicking the photographs has been made mandatory. The photographs will be helpful to trace children even if they move out of the district. If a student fails to attend classes for two months he or she will be considered as a drop out,” he said.

Residential schools

The DDPI said that the government has released Rs 12 lakh to build two residential schools for dropouts and also the migratory workers’ children in the district. The schools are being constructed at  Hanumathanagar and Corporation bank in Udupi. The schools will be ready in another two months.

A major programme is envisioned to impart awareness among dropouts in the district. The programme will start from April 10, in which resource persons and teachers will educate children and also their parents on the importance of education.

They will assemble at a place and resource persons and teachers will brief them over the need to learn.  There will be a kind of summer bridge course that is being held to prepare children to attend school in the next academic year. The help of NGOs is being taken and they will assist in tracing and bringing back dropped out children to school. Children are tested for their ability and admitted to suitable classes depending on their age, the DDPI added.