As number of girl dropouts rises, Bihar plans forum to motivate students to stay in school

The education department has detected that dropouts among girls over last three academic sessions range between 30-40 per cent. (Representational Image)

Alarmed at the increasing numbers of dropouts of girls in the state’s senior secondary schools, the Bihar government is setting up a ‘kishori manch — a forum for adolescent girls— from January to motivate girls to continue their studies with inspiring stories of successful women and counselling on vocational and professional courses available after they pass their Class XII.

The education department has detected that dropouts among girls over last three academic sessions range between 30-40 per cent. The state has about 6,000 senior secondary schools. Despite bicycle and uniform schemes in place for over a decade now, Bihar education department found that 1,662 senior secondary schools across the state have reported high dropouts of girl students studying in Classes IX to XII. The kishori manch, which will have an educational and psychological trainer each, will motivate girls.

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Bihar Education Project Council state programme officer Sachindra Kumar said: “…The idea is to motivate them. All districts have been allocated funds for the purpose.” Another official added the trainers would also counsel girls to start small businesses by taking up vocational courses.