UP to follow Netherland model to check school dropouts

Uttar Pradesh will now adopt the early warning system (EWS), a mechanism to alert schools about children who are at risk of discontinuing studies.

The 15-member team led by Basic Education Minister Sandeep Singh that visited The Netherlands last month to study their innovative approaches to check school dropouts will soon submit its reports to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.

The team was accompanied by UNICEF officials.

Education specialist, UNICEF, Ritwik Patra, said, "While Uttar Pradesh has already introduced EWS in 150 schools of the Devi Patan division, there are some good practices in The Netherlands that can be adopted to enhance the programme."

"Any child not attending school is a serious issue there. The country strictly follows legislative commitment of not leaving any child behind and both schools and parents are equally responsible for it. There is virtually no dropouts at the elementary level," Patra added.

Another member said: "The job market there is highly formal. Students are provided maximum flexibility to continue their education with many choices mixed with academic and vocational studies. Students are regularly counselled towards selecting the most appropriate choice of their education. The counsellors work closely with schools, students and parents to ensure that all students have the most suitable opportunities and receive the minimum level of certification necessary for job market."

In Uttar Pradesh, the school dropout rate at the elementary level is 2.75 per cent which is nearly the same as the national average of 2.96 per cent.

Special efforts are made to ensure children acquire the skills to fit into the job market. The team also learned about the system of leave approval.

According to a UNICEF member, "The Netherlands has the system of excused and unexcused leaves. Children are supposed to take leaves from schools and schools only grant leaves as per government-authorised excused leaves."

"Unexcused leaves are considered as absence from schools. Schools are penalised if excused leaves are granted for reasons not authorised by the state. For excused leaves, schools must inform authorities."

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