Drop-out rate to be monitored

Statesman News Service

MALDA, Oct. 2: In order to detect the rate of dropout, the state has instructed the district education officials to monitor the monthly attendance report of all students in schools.

The school authorities have been asked to submit the monthly attendance report of the students in primary and secondary stages on regular basis to the headquarters. This rule has been made mandatory for the secondary schools, a senior district education officer said.

The decision was taken to ensure quality of education system, to check dropout rate and attendance of students after implementing the mid-day meal project.

The state has also directed the officials submit a report of the percentage of students’ attendance in the DISE (District Information System of Education) every year. This is for the first time the average percentage of students’ attendance would be included in the DISE.

The DISE, which is in progress, would be submitted to the state by November, 2008, said the district inspector of schools (secondary) Mr Chinmay Sarkar. Based on the report of various projects, the state and Central education officials have detected that though the enrolment of students in papers is satisfactory, the rate of attendance is not up to the mark.

Students’ daily attendance is between 60 to 65 per cent in Malda and other districts of the state.

“This trend cannot check the rate of dropout when the Sharba Shiksha Mission is allotting huge amount funds for quality education system in the state,” a senior education official said today.

On the other hand, after scrutinising the mid-day meal accounts in Malda, it was found that consumption of mid-meal rice is lower than the present enrolment of the students in primary and upper primary stages.

Based on enrolment list and 80 percent average rate of attendance, the requirement of rice meant for mid-day meal project is nearly 1.20 lakh quintal, for 200 days in a year.

But it was detected that from April to August, 2008, a total of 28,656 quintal of rice was allotted for mid day meal project. And still there is sufficient stock left in many block areas.