Global Education Digest 2012 - International Reading Association

OPPORTUNITIES LOST: THE IMPACT OF GRADE REPETITION AND EARLY SCHOOL LEAVING
FIGURE 16
Dropout rate to last grade of primary education (%)
45
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
age population over the last decade, although the
number of enrolments has declined between 2000
and 2010.
2009 (decrease since 1999) 2009 (increase since 1999)
Pakistan
Nepal
India
Early school leaving is a major concern in a small
number of countries in the region (see Figure 17).
The countries with the highest dropout rates in
2009 included: Nicaragua (52%), Guatemala
(35%), Saint Kitts and Nevis (26%) and Honduras
(24%). In contrast, Argentina, Cuba, Jamaica,
Mexico and Uruguay had the lowest dropout rates
in the region, at about 5%.
How has early school leaving
changed in South and West Asia?
Dropout rates to the last grade of
primary education, 1999, 2004
and 2009
1999 2004 2009
Notes: The dropout rate to the last grade of primary education is defined as
100% minus the survival rate to the last grade of primary education.
Countries are ranked by the values of their dropout rates to the last
grade of primary education in 2009 or most recent year available.
Countries presented are those with data available. The symbol is
used when data for 1999 are not available or when data for 1999 and
2009 have the same value.
Generally, across the region there has been
improvement in reducing early school leaving at the
primary level. Dropout rates have diminished over
Bangladesh
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics database.
Bhutan
Sri Lanka
Iran
the decade for practically every country reporting
data. The countries making the greatest progress
in reducing dropout rates include: Belize and
Guatemala in the early 2000s, Honduras and El
Salvador after 2004, and Guyana throughout the
entire decade.
Other regions reflect wide variation in dropout
rates
In the Arab States, the number of school-age
children increased from 39 to 43 million between
1999 and 2009. This is the only other region than
sub-Saharan Africa where school-age cohorts
continue to grow steadily. In 2010, there were an
estimated 5 million primary school-age children out
of school in the Arab States. Almost one-half (49%)
are not expected to ever enter school. The dropout
rate for the region was 13% in 2009. Unlike other
regions where early school leaving takes place in the
initial grades, the overall survival rate to the last grade
is high in the Arab States, and most school leaving
occurs between Grades 4 and 5. The countries with
the highest dropout rates in 2009 included Djibouti
(36%) and Mauritania (29%). In contrast, Morocco
made the greatest progress in reducing the dropout
rate from 25% to 9% since 1999.
In East Asia and the Pacific, 47% of the region’s
estimated 6.6 million out-of-school children of
primary school age left school early. Another 38%
are expected to start school late, and 15% are
not expected to ever enrol. The dropout rate for
the region was 9% in 2009. The countries with
the highest dropout rates (33% to 46%) were
Cambodia, Lao People’s Democratic Republic and
Timor-Leste.
3.4 WHEN DO CHILDREN LEAVE SCHOOL?
It is difficult to determine exactly when children leave
school, but it is possible to identify the grade and
age at which this occurs based on administrative and
household survey data. However, it is important to
understand that many countries do not have recent
data available.
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