School dropouts on the increase

 Generally across all standards more males, dropped out of school than females.  In 2012, 65.1 percent of the total primary school dropouts were males. The report titled, 'Primary Education Statistics 2012' observed that over the past three years most pupils dropped out of school in Standard One; notably, in 2012, where 21.6 percent of the dropouts were Standard One pupils.  Moreover, of those who dropped out of school in Standard One, boys had dominated.

Chobe region registered the highest number of such cases, accounting for 40 percent, followed by Kgatleng with 28.6 percent, Kweneng with 25.8 percent and Gantsi with 23.3 percent.Reasons advanced for the dropouts include distance from school and parents withdrawing children from school because they feel they are not yet ready for  school.