STAFF REPORTER
Dimapur, OCTOBER 12
The scenario of school dropouts in Nagaland is alarmingly escalating and the main reasons being attributed to lack of family support, poverty and engagement of proxy teachers.
According to Baseline Survey Report conducted on school dropouts in five villages of Dimapur district by Community Avenue Network (CAN) Youth, 57 percent of school dropouts is at high school level and 32 percent at middle school level while 11 percent is dropped out before reaching middle school.
The school dropouts constitute an important contributor to the society but due to the negligence, dropouts are not taken sincerely. This was remarked by Dimapur District Gaon Bura (GB) Association President Shikuto Zalipu during the launching of baseline survey books on school dropouts conducted in five villages under Dimapur district and distribution of seed money to youth support group under entrepreneurship skill development program on Monday at Saramati Conference Hall Dimapur.
The baseline survey on school dropouts in select areas of Dimapur was conducted by Community Avenue Network (CAN) Youth with the support by Youth Involve Fellowship Bosco Institute, Jorhat Assam.
Differing to the quote ‘Youths are tomorrow’s future’, Shikuto underlined youths to be today’s backbone for a better tomorrow. He stated that Nagas migrate from rural to urban areas for better opportunities but instead get involved in illegal activities and those sections mainly constitute the school dropouts.
Referring to the survey conducted by the Nagaland government under the initiative of the then State Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio for the year 2007-2009, there were 554 government schools with 11948 students out of which 8495 dropped out. Among all the 11 districts of the state, Kiphire district has the highest school dropouts with 13 percent and Longleng district recorded the lowest with 3.7 percent.
Expressing deep concern over the escalating numbers of school dropouts in the state, Shikuto pointed out that the reason for such trend was engagement in domestic and field work than education. Lack of family support, poverty and proxy teachers were other reasons put across by the GB Association president.
While acknowledging that the issue cannot be wiped out absolutely from the state, he appealed the state government to do a check on the education system and sensitize especially in rural area on Article 21A under the fundamental rights of India and also called upon village leaders to cooperate with the initiative started by the CAN Youth.
“Being a dropout is a blessing as society and families have little expectation and this leaves you with room for opportunities less you are not referred as useless” exhorted Bosco Institute Jorhat Assam Director Dr. Jerry Thomas to the participants. Society’s attitude is such that great things are expected from the educated section leaving them with little room for choice and the dropouts are neglected. SIDBI Branch Office Manager Dimapur S.Pauminthang Gangte also exhorted the participants and guided them on the procedures and expectations of banks from entrepreneurs and appealed the beneficiaries to use the money judiciously for better revenue.
Earlier, Chang Baptist Fellowship Naga United Village Pastor S.Yanger Chang invoked God’s blessing while CAN Youth founder and chief functionary Jenpu Rongmei delivered the welcome address and vote of thanks was rendered by CAN Youth Volunteer Vezito Tetseo.
