A survey conducted by the Directorate of Primary Education has found that 20.4 percent of the primary students dropped out in 2015 – with 10.1 percent leaving their institutions at fourth grade alone.
The survey results show boy dropouts outnumbered their girl counterparts.
Officials say the dropout rate at the primary level declined by 19.4 percent over the last five years but a further fall in the rate will be slow.
According to the survey, 1.6 percent pupils dropped out at the first grade while 3.2 percent left schools at the second, 3.4 percent at the third and 2.1 percent at the fifth levels.
Last year, 11,967,761 boys and girls enrolled at 122,176 primary institutions. The enrolment rate was 97.94 percent.
Md Saber Hossain, a director at the Directorate of Primary Education, who supervised the survey, said repetition of a large number of students at the fourth grade had taken the rate so high.
According to the survey, 1,015,542 students got admitted in the same class for more than once in 2015. Among them, the fourth graders are 249,246 in number.
Hossain told bdnews24.com on Tuesday that most of the students take readmission in fourth grade just to better prepare for the fifth grade.
He said the maximum dropout rates happen to different grades every year.
“Children mostly drop out because of financial issues. We are providing free books, lunch, and stipend,” he said.
Gaibandha is on the top of the list with 47.3 percent dropouts.
Bhola, Cox’s Bazar, and Lakshmipur have dropout rates of 44.6 percent, 37.3 percent, and 34.3 percent, respectively.
In 2015, 20.4 percent children dropped out from primary schooling. The rate was 39.8 percent in 2010 and 47.2 percent in 2005.
The primary section has one teacher per 36 students, with an average of 4.31 teachers per institution.
Primary and Mass Education Secretary Md Humayun Khalid said he also believes poverty is the reason for children leaving schools.
According to him, a lot of families make their children to earn for them. But the government will continue to take initiatives to keep the children in school.
Source: Bd news24