Srinagar: The dropout rate in secondary education in Jammu and Kashmir is over 10 per cent higher than the national average of 14.54 per cent, state government said on Monday.
According to a written reply by JK Education Minister Mohammad Akbar Lone to Legislative Council, the ratio of secondary school dropout in the state is 25.33 per cent in financial year 2013-2014.
"The ratio of dropout rate in secondary education of the state is 25.33 per cent as compared to 14.54 per cent as per the Unified District Information System of Education (U-DISE)," as per the reply.
It said that lack of awareness, and reservation of the parents to admit their girls in the secondary schools where co-education was being imparted were the major reasons for the higher dropout rates.
"The lack of awareness of the parents to admit their girls in the institutions where co-education is being imparted is one of the major reasons for higher dropout rates in Kashmir Valley as compared to Jammu region," according to the reply.
"Besides, economic backwardness is also one of the basic reasons," it said.
The data by the U-DISE suggests that south Kashmir`s Anantnag district has the highest rate of dropouts with 46.61 per cent, followed by central Kashmir`s Budgam district.
Srinagar has the lowest rate of 10.16 per cent, while Pulwama 29.02 per cent and Ganderbal 35.66 per cent of dropout rate, the figures suggest.
The officials said as many as 22,876 habitations in the state were covered by secondary schooling facility within distance of five kilometers, while 6,618 were still without such facility.
