Volume 11 : Issue 11.1 (2024)

Antecedents of Children Dropout in Tribal Schools of India: A Systematic Review

The issue of children dropping out of school in India is a multifaceted challenge with significant implications for educational attainment and social development. Despite the efforts to improve enrollment, a substantial number of children still either leave school prematurely or remain absent in the school for various reasons. Education being in concurrent list of the Constitution, initiatives and strategies are being implemented to contain the phenomenon of school drop-out and absenteeism. Schools in tribal regions of India show a large gap in terms of school drop-out and absence from the school. This study aimed to explore the evidence as antecedents of school dropout by analyzing 17 selected papers retrieved from various databases. PRISMA framework was adopted to review the selected studies. The nature of studies selected are empirical in nature. The studies give substantive evidence to the school drop-out and absenteeism. Findings of the studies reveal several contributing factors to school drop-out and absenteeism. The curriculum and pedagogy issues in the schools of tribal regions are observed to be major factors contributing to the challenges of the school children. Majority of dropout children never comprehend what their teachers teach, unable to read and write, and lack sufficient supervision. The studies observed poor educational facilities, infrastructure issues, and the distance from the schools as other contributory factors. Due to the stress of inadequate socio-economic situations, the families of the school-going children engage them in meager income activities to provide supplementary income to their families, help in agriculture and household chores like - caring domestic animals and younger siblings, and cooking. Addressing the challenges of school-going children in the tribal schools of India requires a comprehensive policy and program interventions aimed at reform the curriculum, ensure good infrastructure, and improve socio-economic disparities of the tribal families. This study underscores the urgent need for targeted policies and strategies to implement effectively to reduce school dropout rates and promote inclusive and equitable education for all children in general and the tribal school-going children in particular.

tribal schools, tribal children, school dropout, school absenteeism, antecedents

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