Attendance low, school teachers asked to reach out to parents

NOIDA: The state government has ordered the district education department to conduct door-to-door surveys on the low rate of attendance among students and understand the specific reasons for absence.

In Noida schools, the average attendance rate was around 60% till September. Teachers claimed that the frequent closure of schools for floods and pollution, coupled with scheduled holidays this year was the primary reason.

Among the four blocks of Gautaum Buddh Nagar, Jewar has the lowest attendance rate at 54%, followed by Bisrakh at 56%, Dadri and Dankaur at 61% and 63% respectively.

Aishwarya Lakshmi, the basic education officer of GB Nagar said low attendance rate is a concerning factor, especially in Bisrakh and Jewar. "There is mostly a migrant population in these blocks, so they keep going back to their native places," she said.

Teachers complain that the closure of schools has resulted in students losing interest. "The frequent discontinuation of classes due to the floods or pollution affect the academic calendar," said the principal of a primary school in Bisrakh.

"Outreach programmes will be conducted too," added Lakshmi.