by Melani Manel Perera

In areas where there are plantations, the dropout rate after the primary level is 8.4%. Only 7% of those who pass the examination, continue to second level. Schools lacking in everything: desks, chairs, blackboards and textbooks.

Colombo (AsiaNews) - In areas where there are plantations, the number of children who leave school after primary school is very high. According to research by Transparency International Sri Lanka (TISL), the percentage is 8 .4%, compared to a national average of 1 .4%.

According to the TISL, the number of students who leave school each year in the areas of plantations is between 10% and 25% of all pupils. According to the report, "only 7% of students who pass primary level exams continue in school”.

The survey was carried out in the Badulla district (south-east of Sri Lanka), where there are 21 schools and over 300 students, and identified some common causes among drop outs: "Lack of  transport facilities, school buildings being unsafe, the poor condition of classrooms and the lack of desks, chairs, blackboards, learning materials such as textbooks, writing books, pens and pencils. Some schools even lack water”.

Another major reason for abandoning school is the lack the support of parents. In many cases in these families, the mother goes to work abroad in domestic service. Many social ills such as alcoholism, fatalism, low self-value and low awareness of rights befall those households where the mothers go abroad for work.  

• Sri
• Lanka
• Education
• poor
• families
• schools
• primary
• level
• secondary
• level
• plantations
• drop
• out