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Primary school dropout rate high in Mansehra

SRSP says out-of-school girls outnumber such boys By Our Correspondent 2014-12-06
MANSEHRA: Twenty per cent children drop out of primary schools in the district with girls outnumbering boys, said regional programme manager of Sarhad Rural Support Programme Shakeel Ahmad on Friday.

Shakeel told reporters here that the girls` dropout rate in Mansehra was two times more than that of boys.

`We face a serious challenge of cutting 20 per cent dropout rate at primary level. We`ve made a comprehensive strategy to bring the rate close to zero in eight key union councils,` he said.

The SRSP regional manager said his organisation had begun a campaign in eight union councils, including those of Balakot, Behali, Bugermung, Ghanool, Kaghan, Pairan, Shohail Mazullah and Hilkot, to ensure enrolment of every child in school by effective public awareness.

`Now, not only people of these union councils monitor the day-to-day affairs of schools but they go from door to door to convince the people, who had pulled children from schools for one reason or the other, for re-enrolment,` he said.

Shakeel Ahmad said around half of the children aged between five years and 16 years in the country were out of schools.

He said Pakistan was the third largest illiterate country in the world with 39 per cent of its people never going to school.

The SRSP manager said his organisation had been striving to cut the primary school dropout rate, especially among girls, to zero.

Education campaign officer Shaukat Hussain, who was also in attendance, said his organisation had been working to mobilise people in targeted union councils to seek education under Article 25-A of the Constitution.

He said interactive sessions were organised in the district for students, parents, politicians and educationists to discuss causes of high dropout rate and their possible solutions.

Hussain said the school management committees were being formed with the support of local communities to monitor schools in their respective union councils.

On the occasion, district education campaign officer Aneesa Aslam said the role of media was highly important in guiding people on the importance of education.

She said a comprehensive survey was carried out by her organisation in the eight union councils of the district and that found majority of girls out of schools.

Aneesa said parents continued to be reluctant to send daughters to schools.

TRANSPORTERS WARNED: Deputy commissioner Abdul Umar Khattal< on Friday warned transporters not cutting fare by seven percent due to lower fuel prices would face strict action.

The warning was issued during a meeting of transporters here.

The meeting was called by the district administration to examine the situation in the wake of massive cut in fuel prices.

Representatives of police and Regional Transport Authority were also in attendance.

Khattak said when fuel prices went up, the administration increased fare and therefore, they should be cut in light of the massive reduction in the prices of petroleum products.

He said if transporters didn`t reduce fare, their route permits would be cancelled without warning.