Bhubaneswar, Jan 10: The Odisha government has expressed concern over the rising school dropout rate and is taking strict measures to ensure children return to classrooms. Under the new initiative, if a student does not attend school for a week, school authorities will conduct a home visit to understand the reasons behind absenteeism.
According to a directive from the Directorate of Primary Education, issued on December 26 in coordination with the Odisha State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (OSCPCR), school teachers, along with Head Teachers and members of the School Management Committee (SMC) if needed, will visit the child’s home. They will discuss directly with parents to identify whether social, economic, migration-related, or other issues are preventing regular attendance.
Children who have dropped out due to financial difficulties, child labor, or early marriage will be re-enrolled in school. In cases of child labor, schools will coordinate with the Labor Department to reintegrate children into mainstream education, while instances of child marriage will be actively prevented.
The initiative is mandatory for all government and government-aided schools in Odisha and aims to ensure that every child stays in school and receives proper education.
