By Sheshkanta Pandit, Kathmandu, Nov. 11:
Lack of
inclusion and participation in the alternative education system is likely to
increase the dropout rate of students in community schools in the country in
the near future.
Concerned stakeholders warned that the dropout
ratio could be alarming as many children were left behind and were not able to
attend classes despite the provision of the alternative educational means
through online, radio and television by the government.
Girls in
direr situation
There is a high rate of girl student drop out at school
level, said Suprabhat Bhandari, Chairman of Guardians Association Nepal.
Targeting
this, the government has introduced the girl’s scholarship and other
programmes for long. This year also, the government tried to address this in
budget speech.
The government had announced to provide afternoon
meal for students up to grade 5 in the community schools across the country to
retain the students in community schools.
Likewise, the provision
of free sanitary pads to 13,40,000 girl students of community schools across
the country was introduced. It was to be provided through the local levels
Some
7.52 billion rupees was allocated for mid-day meal while 1.82 billion rupees
was allocated to provide free sanitary pads. However, the allocated amount is
yet to be utilized, because of lack of opening of schools owing to COVID-19
pandemic.
It has been estimated that the programmes brought forth
by the government to attract girls in education and to minimize their
absenteeism was not implemented this year. As a result, the impact is likely
to be felt in coming days.
There is a problem of linking technology
with the students staying at home due to COVID-19 pandemic and it has created
problem regarding alternative teaching-learning method, said Bhandari.
Suprabhat
Bhandari said, “If we cannot search for the reasons about why students are not
attending classes this year, then its effect can be felt in coming years
too.”
Girls in Nepal are dropping out of schools early because of
early marriage, and the social concept that there is no need to educate girl
and also because of lack of girl friendly latrine system.
Heremba
Kandel, Principal at Bishow Niketan School located at Kathmandu, said,
"Inability to participate in alternative classes and not being able to come to
school for long time are likely to be the reasons for children drooping out of
school in the near future.”
The impact of this year’s irregular
schooling can be felt next year too, so the government needs to be concerned
about this as well, he added.
It is said that there is lack of
proper statistics on the rate of participation and non- participation of
children in alternative education system.
Kandel said that the
dropout rate would be reduced and children's education would be continued if
the local non-governmental organizations could be made affiliated to the
internet by making it accessible to all.
He believes that if the
local government can provide with radio and make the radio systems effective,
the alternative education system would be effective too.
Kandel
also stressed on the need to open schools in areas where corona virus
infection is low.
Technology friendly school is a need of the
time
Babu Ram Thapa, Chairman of the Confederation of Nepalese Teacher,
said that the dropout rate of students would increase next year as students
could not come to the classroom this year.
He pointed out that to
reduce the dropout rate, we all should be prepared and take some effective
steps immediately.
As no more than 15 % of the students of
community schools are linked in alternative teaching learning method, all
stakeholders need to pay top attention to making learning easy for those who
got left behind in this, said Thapa.
As this year budget is
likely to freeze so the investment should be made to run the technological
friendly schools and to make learning much easier and accessible to all
students in the days to come, he said.
The CNT chair said that even
the students who were not participating in the alternative method during this
period should be promoted.
source:risingnepal, 11 November 2020
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