Even as the implementation of Right to Education act remains in limbo, an alarming 45.7 per cent school students from slums in the Union Territory are dropping out of schools.
This is in stark contrast to students of non-slum areas, where 92.3 per cent children are continuing with their education in Puducherry and 89.5 per cent in Karaikal.
These were revealed by a study conducted by HOPE and supported by CRY and released by M Ramadass, Director of Studies, Pondicherry University and former Lok Sabha member.
The sample survey covered 2,852 children from non-slum areas in Puducherry, 1,333 from non-slum areas in Karaikal and 679 children in various slums in the Union Territory.
The study found that 2.7 per cent students from slums drop out before 10 years, 8 per cent before 14 years and 34.6 per cent after 14 years.
Low family income was the reason for the drop-out for 20 per cent of the total drop out children in slum areas.
The interesting finding is that in slums, 16.2 per cent of children are reportedly pursuing English medium education. In non-slum areas of Puducherry, 38 per cent students opt for English medium.
Though drop-out rate is not much in non-slum areas Puducherry and Karaikal, it is disheartening to note that two children have dropped out before reaching five years in Karaikal, 10 and 4 children have dropped out before 10 years in Puducherry and Karaikal respectively.
Meanwhile, the implementation of Right to Education act has remained very weak in the Union Territory. The government missed its 3-year deadline to fulfill the norms and enforcement on March 31, 2013. It should enforce the Act in its letter and spirit atleast after the deadline, said Joseph Victor Raj, state convenor of CACL.
Child labour link
Even as Puducherry gears up to celebrate ‘World Day Against Child Labour’ on Wednesday, nearly 30 per cent of the school dropouts are becoming child labourers in addition to the existing ones.
In non-slum areas of Puducherry, 4.6 per cent of children go for work, while it is 7.7 per cent in Karaikal.
As much as 28 per cent children from the slums work in various sectors, both organized and unorganized, according to the study.
This is happening despite the fact that employment of children below the age of 14 years is prohibited.