More than 465,000 students dropped out of primary school in 2017

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More than 465,000 students dropped out of primary school in 2017

12:33 CAT | 23 Jul 2018

File photo: Deutsche Welle

A total of 465,046 primary school students dropped out of school last year, according to the Ministry of Education and Human Development (MINEDH).

The figure, contained in a map of school use in 2017 presented at a MINEDH meeting opened by Minister Conceita Sortane last week, represents 8.9 percent of students enrolled throughout the country that year.

Nevertheless, MINEDH says the number of drop-outs has decreased compared to 2016, when the rate was 10.9 percent, one of the highest in the last five years.

“Over the past five years, the drop-out rate peaked in 2016, representing, in absolute terms, a significant number of pupils dropping out of the education system,” AIM reports.

The 30-page document also notes that more boys than girls drop out of school. Of the total dropouts, 212,995 are female, compared to 252,051 males.

Cabo Delgado has most dropouts. The range of withdrawal ranges from 2.5 percent in Maputo province to 13.3 percent in Cabo Delgado.

Cabo Delgado, Nampula, Niassa, Sofala, Tete and Zambézia, in the north and centre of the country, have the highest dropout rates.

In terms of classes, the highest dropout rate goes to the Grade 2 students in both 2016 and 2017. For example, in 2016, the dropout rate in this Grade was 17.7 percent, while in 2017 it was 14.6 percent.

Source: O País