78% parents in rural India want their daughters to study till graduation and beyond: Report

Seventy-eight per cent parents of girls in rural areas want to educate their children to graduation and above and 82 per cent parents of boys in rural areas want to educate their children, as per a report that was launched on Tuesday by the Union Minister for Education, Dharmendra Pradhan

The first ‘State of Elementary Education in Rural India’ report is based on data accumulated from 6,229 rural households across 20 states. The study was focused on children in rural communities between the age of 6 to 16 years.

Out of the 6,229 rural households surveyed, 6,135 had school-going students, 56 had students who dropped out of school and 38 had children who had never enrolled in school.

Out of the 56 students who had dropped out of school, 36.8 per cent of parents of girls stated that their daughters dropped out of school as there was a requirement to help out in the family’s earnings. While 31.6 per cent of parents said that their children dropped out due to lack of interest in studies. And, 21.1 per cent parents believed that their daughters had to take care of household chores and siblings at home.

A total of 71.8 per cent parents of boys said that the main reason for their sons to drop out of school was the lack of interest. While 48.7 per cent said it was because they had to help out in family’s earnings.

According to the survey, one-fourth of male children dropped out of school during primary schooling. The dropout rate at this stage was higher for female children at nearly 35 per cent. Nearly 75 per cent boys and 65 per cent girls dropped out of school after completing primary school education.