School dropouts rising, parents don’t trust school system; Education Ministry report shows
View(s):School drop outs, inability to hold examinations due to irregular school calendar and a breakdown of parental trust in the school system have been identified as key challenges in achieving goals set by the Ministry of Education.
The Progress Report issued by the ministry for 2025 identified challenges in achieving specific targets for 2026.
The report revealed that the percentage of students dropping out of school before completing 13 years of education is increasing.
The disparity in the distribution of human and physical resources within the school system has led to a breakdown of parental trust in the school system, the report reveals.
Despite the implementation of a policy providing free education from the first year of school to the first degree, parents still bear a significant financial burden from their income for their children’s education, the report added.
The inability to hold examinations on time resulted in an irregular school calendar, due to challenges during the past years as the country was affected by a pandemic and an economic crisis, the report said.
However, efforts were being made to gradually normalise school operations and examination schedules.
The report also pointed out the many vacancies that remain despite steps to fill them through relevant recruitments.
To enhance economic and social living standards, efforts are being made to minimise challenges in school education by providing free education opportunities and benefits such as free textbooks, stationary, school shoes, uniforms, lunch and insurance facilities for students in general education.
“There is a mismatch between the job market requirements in the main economic pillars – agriculture, industry and services – and the education provided,” the report stated.
The ministry has planned to implement new education reforms for Grade 1 and Grade 6 in the upcoming year, and also preparations are being made for the necessary arrangements for curriculum reform for Grade 2 and Grade 7.
Printing modules for the second and third terms, and conducting teacher training on the education reforms planned for implementation in Grades 1 and 6 from 2026, is another target.
Some of the key targets of the education ministry for 2026 include; specific objectives to be achieved within primary education in 2026, creating an inclusive educational environment, expanding co-curricular activities within primary education, developing infrastructure in primary schools, and strengthening the regulatory framework.
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