The Department of Economics, DG Vaishnav College, Chennai, organised a one-day rural camp at Chittathur village, Tiruvallur district, on December 20 to sensitise the villagers on the right to education and create awareness among them on schemes offered by the government, with regard to compulsory education.
During the camp, the students conducted a socio-economic survey, primarily intended to assess the incidence of dropouts in the village. Of the 173 households, a sample of 150 was taken up.
The best part of the findings was that the school dropout rate at the primary level was nil as a child joining class-1 continues up to class-8 without break. However, it was found that those who had failed in class-8 were not sent to school again by their parents. On account of this attitude among parents, incidences of dropout was found to be around 12 per cent.
Another interesting finding was that parents either preferred their children to complete primary and secondary school level without any break or do not send their children to school at all. The interest shown by women in the village to become a member of self-help groups was well attested by the fact that 52 per cent are already members of them.
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