'Poverty, less secondary schools': Ranoj Pegu on alarming Assam students dropout rate

Assam's school dropout rates remain significantly higher than the national average, with economic challenges and a lack of secondary schools among the primary reasons, according to Education Minister Ranoj Pegu. Speaking to India Today NE, Pegu revealed that poverty in tea garden and char areas, combined with limited access to secondary education, has led to a troubling number of students leaving school early.

According to the latest UDISE+ data for 2022-23, Assam's dropout rate at the primary level rose to 8.5 per cent, compared to the national average of 1.45 per cent. The upper primary level showed a dropout rate of 10.3 per cent, far exceeding the national figure of 3.02 per cent. The secondary level saw the most significant gap, with Assam reporting a 29.5 per cent dropout rate against the national average of 12.6 per cent.

Minister Pegu highlighted two key areas driving these high dropout rates: tea garden regions and char areas. He noted that poverty plays a major role, particularly in  underdeveloped areas, where families often pull children out of school to work. "The pyramid of the school education structure is very flat in Assam," Pegu said, pointing out that while there are many lower and upper primary schools, there are fewer secondary schools, limiting access to further education.

To combat these challenges, the Assam government is focusing on several initiatives. One key measure is making school education completely free, which Pegu said is aimed at reducing financial barriers for families. The state has also launched the 'Nijut Moina' program, which is designed to attract more students, especially girls, back to school.

Additionally, Pegu emphasised the importance of skill development, with over 2,000 schools now incorporating the national skill qualification framework to better equip students for the future. Although Assam's Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) currently lags behind the national average, Pegu is hopeful that these efforts will lead to improvements. The government plans to operationalise over 100 schools in tea garden areas by 2025, as well as recruit more teachers and upgrade 300 to 400 high schools to higher secondary schools.

While Assam is working to address these issues, the high dropout rates remain a critical concern for the state’s education system. Without sustained efforts, many children, particularly from economically disadvantaged areas, risk falling out of the education system entirely, limiting their future opportunities.