KOVAI KALAIMAGAL COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCE

(Affiliated to Bharathiar University)

Accredited with “A” grade by NAAC

A STUDY ON SCHOOL DROPOUTS WITH PARTICULAR REFERENCE TO COIMBATORE DISTRICT

by

Dr.D.MUTHURAJ

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

UGC MAJOR RESEARCH PROJECT REPORT IN STATISTICS

SUMMARY OF FINDINGS

Salient Findings

  • The maximum number of drop outs is found in the age groups 12-15 and 16-18.
  • There is a tendency among the children to drop out once they complete 5th standard and 10th standard.
  • In all the age groups, the number of drop outs among the boys is more than that among the girls.
  • The number of drop outs was gradually increasing during the period of study.
  • The maximum number of drop outs is found in class IX with substantial number of drop outs in classes VI and X.
  • The number of students dropping out of schools is considerably more in Government schools when compared to Government Aided and private schools.
  • The largest number of drop outs is from SC / ST Community when compared to other communities.
  • Large number of students from Hindu religion dropout when compared to the other religions and it may be because of large number of students from Hindu religion join the college and the other two religions are minority communities.
  • The number of dropped out students from the families where parents are well educated professionals is very much less when compared to the other families.
  • When the number of members increases in the family, then the number of drop outs also increases. Particularly when the number of members is more than 4 in a family, drop out of one child from such a family happens almost surely.
  • When the family size is large and when there is only one earning member to support the family, there is every possibility of at least one child from such a family dropping out of the class.
  • When the number of teachers available in a school is not adequate, that is, when there are less than 10 teachers, the likelihood of students dropping out of school is more in case of boys than girls.
  • More than 60% of the teachers where of the opinion that it is because the students found it difficult to understand Mathematics, they decide to drop out.
  • Nearly 70% of the teachers opined that since the students found it difficult to understand English, they decide to drop out from the school.
  • More than 61% of the teachers were of the opinion that it is their lack of interest in their studies that forces them to drop out of the school.
  • Whenever the parents are uneducated, there is a greater tendency among the students of such families to drop out of the school.
  • Majority of the teachers are of the view that bad company of friends is one of the important reasons for the drop out of the children.
  • When the teachers were asked whether the problem of students dropping out from school can be solved only by the teachers, they have expressed that it is not possible and if teachers and parents join together and work out, perhaps this problem can be solved to a great extent.
  • Majority of the teachers feel that in spite of various welfare schemes implemented by the Government to ensure that the students do not drop out, the menace of dropping out of school by the students has not reduced. Hence there is a feeling that Government’s effort in making the people aware of the various welfare schemes implemented is quite inadequate.
  • In most of the schools, the mentoring system is absent. Hence there is no one to closely watch the activities of the students. This also contributes to the menace of the students dropping out of school.
  • Teachers have frankly accepted that they have failed in their attempt to bring down the number of drop outs in their schools.
  • There is a negative correlation between the distance to school and the number of drop outs and this implies that the students are not willing to join the schools far off from their homes.
  • Lack of facilities like toilets, drinking water and playground is one of the major factors that contribute to the decision of the students to drop out.
  • Whenever the school building is in a dilapidated condition, the drop out of students is also more from such schools.
  • Wherever there is discrimination on the basis of caste and community, the dropout rate is also more from such schools. But as far as Coimbatore district is considered as a whole, such incidences are not reported.
  • Even though jobs are available in the local area, the students are not lured towards them and hence they do not drop out from school.
  • Wherever it is found that if the parents do not spend their time with their children, there is every likelihood of such children dropping out of school.