Dropout rate drops: Susil

The number of children dropping out of school had decreased from 39,899 in 2012 to 19,924 in 2021, Minister of Education, Susil Premajayantha told Parliament on Wednesday.

The number of students dropping out of school from 2012 to 2021 is as follows: 2012 – 39,899; 2013 – 37,687; 2014 – 34,358; 2015 – 30,055; 2016 – 31,539; 2017 – 28,225; 2018 – 26,077, 2019 – 27,590; 2020 – 22,765 and 2021 – 19,924.

He added that there are 6,661 vocational training courses available for school leavers.

The Minister said 124,419 students were trained under the aforesaid vocational training courses in 2020. The number was 144, 919 in 2021 and 166,418 in 2022.

He added there are 39 technical colleges in Sri Lanka at present and 32,682 students are undergoing training at these institutions.

“Among these are 24,413 enrolled in 2023,” he said.