Sri Lanka - Institut de statistique de l'Unesco

Out-of-School Children in Sri Lanka: Country Study
‘Did not like going to school’ was not mentioned by children as a reason for non-enrolment and by
only 2.2 percent of caregivers. However, it was given as reason for dropout by caregivers (33.6
percent) and as a reason for irregular attendance by children (9.3 percent) and caregivers (28.0
percent). Children also admitted this in their life stories. There was usually an underlying reason
for this such as non-success at school or family needs; policies should be aimed at the underlying
reason rather than simply at a dislike of school.
Gender
Gender-based reasons for non-enrolment or dropout were not expressed explicitly in the
interview data. However, both children and caregivers acknowledged that girls often dropped out
of school to help with domestic chores or look after siblings and boys dropped out to help parents
in economic activities. In children’s life stories, some girls mentioned that they missed school
during their menstrual periods. In addition, nine Muslim girls in Colombo stated that they had
dropped out of school, as girls in their community were not sent to schools after menarche.
Over one third (37.5 percent) of key informants, chiefly in Batticaloa, Colombo, Galle–Hikkaduwa,
Galle–Neluwa, Polonnaruwa, Puttalam and Ratnapura, stated that child marriage was
responsible for the dropout of some girls. No information was forthcoming about child marriage
from caregivers, except one brief mention of a girl in Ampara; this appears to be a sensitive issue.
However, researchers received information from officials or the community that early marriage
among girls and boys was a common in rural Batticaloa. It was suggested that this was because,
during the conflict, some parents viewed marriage as ‘a safety measure’ to thwart their child’s
recruitment into the LTTE. Tamil families in Polonnaruwa had also taken girls out of school to get
them married and prevent their recruitment by the LTTE.
Although free state education is available to girls and boys up to the age of 14 years, in some
circumstances, children are excluded as a consequence of their sex. Policies that target the
underlying reasons for gender-based exclusion should look at gender stereotypes, child labour,
menstrual hygiene facilities at school, and child marriage. In addition, existing legislation to
prevent gender discrimination should be enforced.
Poor health and nutritional status
Ill health was given as a reason for children’s non-enrolment in school by children (6.7 percent)
and caregivers (15.6 percent). It was also given as reason for dropout by children (15.4 percent)
and caregivers (13.4 percent) and as a reason for irregular attendance by children (16.5
percent) and caregivers (11.6 percent). No specific mention of malnutrition was made, although
a number of children mentioned in their life stories that hunger and going without food had an
impact on their education. Some teachers also said that certain children came to school
because of the free midday meal.
Ill health can cause children to miss school, thereby disrupting their education. This can lead to
experience of failure, making children vulnerable to dropout. Although free basic health services
are available, disadvantaged families need support to access them in time, before health
problems and malnutrition become too severe. Financial and other support may be required for
serious conditions.
There appears to be minimal interface among education, health, social services and Samurdhi
officials, without which health-related problems of school-age children cannot be addressed
satisfactorily. The Ministry of Health has a policy of conducting school medical inspections, and
the new School Health Policy proposes greater linkages with schools in terms of promoting
health and nutrition.
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