UP Governor stresses urgent action to reduce school dropout rates

LUCKNOW: Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel on Monday emphasised the urgent need to bring down dropout rates among schoolchildren and ensure timely enrollment of all children aged 6 to 10 years across the state.

She also directed officials to launch a week-long special drive in every village to enroll children in schools, highlighting the importance of 100 per cent enrollment in the primary education system. Patel was speaking at a high-level review meeting held at the Raj Bhavan in Lucknow with senior officials from the Department of Basic Education and the Department of Women and Child Development.

The meeting's agenda included reviewing the status of government upper primary schools, enrollment drives in Anganwadi centres and primary schools, improving gender ratio, and strategies to prevent school dropouts, an official statement read.

"It is essential to ensure that all children studying in classes 1 to 5 are enrolled on time in every district," she said, adding that immediate and effective measures must be taken to reduce dropout rates. Government orders issued by the education department should be implemented in a timely and efficient manner, she added.

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Gender ratio in UP declining, says Governor

The governor also instructed officials to compile data on enrollment and dropout rates from each district and monitor progress regularly. During the meeting, a review was also conducted of the Raj Bhavan Upper Primary School's current status and plans for its upgradation.

Raising concern over the declining gender ratio in the state, Patel called for strict monitoring of deliveries in private hospitals and mandatory availability of childbirth-related data from these institutions. She stressed that coordinated action among the departments of Health, Women and Child Development, and the Police is needed to prevent female foeticide and holistic child development.

Addressing Anganwadi officials, she said that all eligible children must be compulsorily enrolled at the centres and assured of adequate nutrition, health checkups, vaccinations, and early education. She also called for regular monitoring and inspections of Anganwadi centres to ensure the effective delivery of services.

Sharing her recent experiences from district visits, the governor pointed out the existence of several ground-level issues that need immediate attention. Patel also suggested that a clear strategy be developed to improve institutional deliveries and address premature births. "The decline in the number of girl children is extremely worrying. There is a need for greater public awareness, better health services, and firm policy measures to reverse this trend," she said.