Need to cut dropout rate among girls

New Delhi: The average annual dropout rate among girl students at the upper primary level has decreased, Human Resource Development (HRD) Minister Smriti Irani said here on Wednesday.

The average annual drop-out rate 6.08 per cent in 2011-12 and it decreased to 4.01 per cent in 2013-14, she said in a written reply in the Lok Sabha. "The Sarva Siksha Abhiyan programme provides for a multi-pronged approach to check drop out among girls and has enhanced the access to primary and upper primary schools by opening such schools within one and three kilometres respectively."

"The programme has helped in strengthening school infrastructure especially girls toilets, improving the teachers pupil ratio, providing incentives like free textbooks, uniforms and gender sensitisation of teachers and educational administrators," she said.

"A total of 3,602 residential schools for girls at upper primary level in educationally backward blocks of the country have been set up," she added.