50 000 drop out of school

Nearly 50 000 pupils dropped out of school last year with more than two-thirds dropping out of secondary school, Deputy Education Minister Angeline Gata says.

She said 15 809 dropped out of primary school with Mashonaland Central recording the highest figure of 3 052 while Bulawayo had the lowest at 285.

More than double that figures, 33 746, dropped out of secondary school with the highest number coming from the Midlands which had 5 138. Harare had the lowest figure of 1 616. There was no figure for Bulawayo.

Gata said there were several reasons why the pupils dropped out but some dropped out because they got pregnant. Some walked too long distances to school while others were affected by the shortage of fees.

She said her ministry had started an Early Warning System programme to establish the reason why pupils were dropping out.

The programme was being carried out in partnership with the United Nations Children’s Fund.

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