Delhi government beings study into school dropouts, improvements

NEW DELHI: A study is underway into reasons for student dropout and how to improve the overall quality of school education, a Delhi government official has said. The State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT) is conducting multiple research projects. One of the key areas being examined is the impact of Right to Education (RTE) entitlements with a focus on the PM Poshan scheme, according to an SCERT official.

The Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shakti Nirman (PM POSHAN) scheme , which provides hot meals to students in government and government-aided schools, is linked to reducing school dropout rates. The studies will also explore the relevance of teachers in the digital age, which is increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence, the official said. Another important focus is the evaluation of the leadership training programmes for the school heads conducted by SCERT .

Study on teacher performance enhancement

The research will assess whether school heads are actively analysing enrolment, attendance, and dropout data to make informed decisions that contribute to better school performance, he said. Another study is underway to develop effective methods to measure and enhance teacher performance, the official added.

The data for these projects will be collected from various stakeholders, including school heads, teachers, students, and parents. Field investigators from SCERT and District Institutes of Education and Training (DIETs) will visit randomly selected schools across Delhi for data collection. The official said that the stakeholders have been instructed to submit their reports by May 10.