This Summer, Connect with Children and Gift Them a New Academic Year!

When you were in school, how did your summer vacation begin? It would probably begin with you saying goodbye to your friends and classmates but with an expectation that you would see them again. The holidays are fun and exciting but it is also nerve-racking to go back to school for the next level. While this is the norm, there are many children in India who do not get the opportunity to return to school. In other words, they drop out of school due to economic instability.

What causes children to drop out of school?

In this article, we have highlighted two issues (among many factors) that cause a child to drop out of school. While majority of children drop out due to migration, there are children who drop out of school due to financial difficulties in the family.

(i) Migration: Also means relocation. For example, if and when the family moves to a different city or town on work prospects, they get their child enrolled in a school. After the work contract is complete, the family may decide to move to another town in search of income. This directly affects the child who is (not in all cases) forced to drop out of school before completing the academic year. In another scenario, although the child has completed the academic year, he or she does not get the opportunity to return to the same school.

(ii) Financial Security: One of the main reasons for a child to drop out of school is because they would like to look out for other prospects; prospects that can help their family financially. School lunch programme has proved to stabilize these families as one meal is guaranteed for the child. Mid-day meal encourages children to continue education while their one square meal is taken care of.

These issues can affect children during the learning phase and in the future. According to MHRD report for 2014-15, the dropout rate for primary level was 4.34 per cent. Although there has been a drastic decrease in drop out and increase in enrolment rate, we need to change the situation for 4.34 per cent of children. To resolve these issues, the government has brought into effect several schemes and one of them is Mid-Day Meal Programme. Working along with government, Akshaya Patra’s Food for Education initiative has been reaching out to millions of school children every day. This NGO in Karnataka began its mid-day meal operations in Bengaluru in the year 2000. In 2016, the Foundation completed the serving of 2 Billion mid-day meals and this milestone was acknowledged by the President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee.

You can show your support by donating to charity and sponsoring a child for a year! By contributing to Akshaya Patra, you will also receive 100% income tax exemption.