THE GOAN NETWORK
PANAJI
Expressing concern over the high dropout rate at the secondary level, the Union Ministry of Education has directed the Goa government to undertake a comprehensive survey to identify Out-of-School Children (OoSC) and ensure better tracking of students leaving the formal education system.
The direction was issued during a meeting of the Project Approval Board (PAB) under the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan held last month. While noting that Goa's annual average dropout rates in 2024-25 stood at 0.4 per cent at the preparatory stage and 0.87 per cent at the middle stage, both lower than the national average, the Ministry flagged the 8.1 per cent dropout rate at the secondary stage.
“The State was directed to undertake a comprehensive survey for identifying Out of School Children (OoSC),” the Ministry said in its observations.
Data submitted in the Rajya Sabha earlier this year showed that Goa recorded 196 Out-of-School Children in the academic year 2025-26, including 72 girls. Since 2021-22, the State has cumulatively reported 891 OoSC, of whom 374 were girls, accounting for nearly 42 per cent of the total dropouts.
Government figures indicate that Goa witnessed its highest number of dropouts in 2022-23, when 253 children were reported to be out of school, up sharply from 98 in 2021-22. The number subsequently declined to 196 in 2023-24 and further to 148 in 2024-25, though it remained a matter of concern. During the period, authorities succeeded in re-enrolling 155 children.
During the PAB meeting, the Goa Education Secretary informed the Ministry that a significant number of students at the secondary stage opt for skill-based and professional courses outside the formal school system, a factor that may not be adequately captured in school education data.
The Ministry noted that closer coordination with the Skill Development Ministry is required to comprehensively track such students and distinguish those pursuing alternative educational pathways from genuine school dropouts.
