Dropout Rate at Elementary Level in Two Primary Schools of Backward Area, Paschim Medinipur, West Bengal: A Comparative Approach

Mrityunjoy Jana¹, Ansar Khan^2, , Soumendu Chatterjee³, Nityananda Sar⁴ and Arosikha Das⁵

¹Department of Education, Vinayaka Missions University, Salem, India

²Department Geography and Environment Management, Vidyasagar University, Midnapore, India

³Department of Geography, Presidency University, Kolkata, India

⁴Department of Geography, Kharagpur College, Kharagpur, India

⁵Department of Applied Geography, Ravenshaw University, Cuttack, India

Cite this paper:
Mrityunjoy Jana, Ansar Khan, Soumendu Chatterjee, Nityananda Sar and Arosikha Das. Dropout Rate at Elementary Level in Two Primary Schools of Backward Area, Paschim Medinipur, West Bengal: A Comparative Approach. American Journal of Educational Research. 2014; 2(12):1288-1297. doi: 10.12691/education-2-12-25

Abstract

A dropout is considered a student who for any reason other than death leaves school before graduation without transferring to another school. Dropping out of school is a well documented social problem and often present daunting circumstances for adolescents. Dropping out is also associated with delinquency, and low school achievements. The study was conducted in two primary school of Gopiballavpur Circle (west) of Paschim Medinipur, West Bengal. For selection of ‘Schools with lower primary grades only’ within Gopiballavpur Circle (West), Paschim Medinipur, the list of all such schools was first arranged in ascending order on the basis of total enrolment (Grade I-IV). In case the total enrolment in a school was less than 10, it was excluded. With the help of this list, two schools (which are fells into more inaccessible and backward area than other school within circle.) were selected by circular systematic sampling method. However, we have used enrolment records collected from daily attendance book considered for study from both school. The considered data period ranges from 2003 to 2010 (seven academic sessions i.e. 2003-04, 2004-05, 2005-06, 2006-07, 2007-08, 2008-09 and 2009-10) and the data are continuous without any missing data. Reconstructed cohort method and Coefficient of Internal Efficiency are used for this study to estimates of dropout and promotion rates based on academic years and to find out important reasons of their school leaving /dropping out from school, present activity of those who are not in any school. The results of the study revealed that drop out of pupils from school in rural backward area were reluctance of parents and participation in domestic activities. Another major reason was problem of financial constraints. The parent’s educational status was poor and they did not give much importance to the education of girls as they did to their sons. They perceived that sons support them in their old age.

Keywords:
dropout promotion reconstructed cohort method coefficient of internal efficiency

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