A successful development record can be attributed to Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) retaining their adolescent learners in school for the current school year.
With an early emphasis on assisting the region’s development through education by providing adolescents with access to quality primary and secondary schools, J&K now has one of the lowest rates of secondary school dropout rates (when compared with all states that have similar characteristics) in India.
Despite facing some of the most difficult geographical and socio-economic conditions in India, J&K has achieved one of the lowest rates of secondary school dropouts in India among the “high-burden” states.
The retention of adolescents to be able to complete high school reflects both the cultural value of lifelong learning to the people of J&K, as well as the successful implementation of grassroots initiatives to improve education for adolescents in the region.
Many flagship government-funded programs that have contributed importantly to J&K’s success have included the following: scholarships to families; an increased awareness of the importance of education to communities; and an improved educational infrastructure for all students, including access to facilities and services in remote or isolated areas.
The successful reduction in the number of adolescents who drop out of secondary school by declining the gender gap between male and female adolescents continues to demonstrate progress towards gender equity. In addition, the number of female students attending secondary school at unprecedented levels, as well as the number of female students assuming leadership roles, is also evidence of J&K’s commitment to inclusive development.
Jammu and Kashmir’s win isn’t just a number; it’s an opportunity for many young people to live up to their potential instead of getting into the working age too early.
We are hopeful that this trend will continue, with our building foundations that help improve the region’s socio-economic conditions.
The Union Territory is building an educated, trained and prepared population that will be affected by focused distribution of educational resources and continued support to its institutions, giving everyone in the UT the means to succeed in today’s world economy.
