Skill-based, experiential education will restrict school dropout rate



Teacher-student engagement

The state education department has been making efforts to train and upskill teachers in government schools. This requires teachers to frequently stay absent from classes, which adversely impacts the continuity in teaching-learning activities. This also leads to weak teacher-student bonds that are imperative to encourage students to come to school. To improve the dropout rate in schools, teachers should be given time to balance all their responsibilities.

  • Veena Chauhan, principal, GGIC Choti Jubilee, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh

Provide skill training

Many financially weak parents want their children to start earning as soon as possible, which urges them to drop out of school. Another reason may be limited jobs for these unskilled youngsters after school gets over. Thus, offering skill related courses in agriculture, mushroom farming, and more to students during their school education might be a good idea. This would give students an incentive to come to school and complete their education.

  • Santosh Kumar Singh, principal, Netarhat Residential School, Jharkhand

Experiential learning is must

Training teachers so that they provide experiential learning to students across subjects is a key step to reduce dropout rate in schools. Also, providing adequate infrastructure for students to explore their extracurricular interests will also draw them to school. To assist government schools in developing both these aspects, big private schools can adopt these schools so that students can remain engaged and be encouraged to attend school.

  • Seema Sapru, principal, The Heritage School, Kolkata

Good infrastructure matters

A high literacy rate among parents encourage them to get their children educated. However, ever since the pandemic, parents have become more inclined to send their children to government schools. The government has improved the infrastructure in terms of the number of classrooms, transportation facilities, and more, which has acted in favour of a minimal dropout rate here. Interactions with alumni also encourages current students to finish their education.

  • Abdul Jaleel P, principal, MP International School, Kerala

    As told to Astha Hemant