Sri Lanka - Institut de statistique de l'Unesco

Out-of-School Children in Sri Lanka: Country Study
The second highest reason for dropout was an inability to cope with studies.
Azaruddin, a 14-year-old boy from Colombo, said, “Although I went to school, I could not
remember the lessons I learnt. I could not do the homework assigned. I could not read
properly or do sums correctly. I could not remember the mathematical tables or my lessons
satisfactorily. So I disliked going school and started cutting classes. I leave home in the
morning, spend my time somewhere and come home when the other children come home.
My schooling came to an end when I was in Grade 8. Now, I work in shop for 7–8 hours a day.
I get food and SLRs 400 a day.”
Suganthan, from Kilinochchi, said: “I did not understand what was being taught or the
activities involved in learning. I was unable to cope with school work.”
Nazeer, a 14-year-old boy from Ampara, said he could not remember things, as he had a
memory problem. Although he went to school till Grade 8, he could not read or do sums.
Some children drop out of school as a result of family dysfunction.
Lalanthi, a 14-year-old girl from Puttalam, experienced violence at home and then the
migration of her mother to work overseas, resulting in her having to care for her younger
siblings. Her father was an alcoholic and would hit her mother and sometimes his children.
As he could not work, his wife eventually migrated for work and left her eldest daughter to
look after the younger children, as there was no other guardian. Lalanthi had to drop out.
Damayanthi, an eight-year-old girl from Hikkaduwa, had a violent home environment. As her
house had no basic necessities such as water, toilets or electricity, she would ask to borrow
these facilities from her neighbours. This situation led to her being ridiculed by adults and
children living around her and she felt too ashamed to go to school anymore.
Sameera, a 15-year-old boy from Kilinochchi, dropped out of school because too many
people in his house made it difficult to study.
Kathiresan from Kilinochchi was abandoned when her mother married another man. Her
father was in a rehabilitation camp. Although he is released now, her parents’ separation has
prevented her from going back to school.
Ilhaz, an11-year-old boy from Puttalam, explained that, since his father does not always have
work, his mother has migrated overseas for a job. The family is living with his aunt. Without
his mother, there is no one to give him encouragement in his studies. His aunt does not worry
about Ilhaz’s education because she has her own children to look after.
Unexpected family illness can result in children having to drop out of school.
Rathirani, a 13-year-old girl from Badulla, said, “My home environment was very good. My
father and mother were employed in the estate work and the family’s financial standard was
good until my father fell sick. Then, our family environment became harder. We decided that
I would have to stay home to look after my father, while my mother went to work. I was doing
well in my studies until this happened. But as I am an only child, I am compelled to help my
mother by looking after my father.”
Saliya, a 15-year-old boy from Moneragala, had been studying in Grade 10 but had given up
school to earn money so his sister could have an operation. The family have spent all they
owned in an attempt to save his sister’s life.
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