Nearly 22 per cent Muslim students in West Bengal stopped going to schools at the secondary level while the figure is 21 per cent in higher secondary level over a period of past one year, revealed an MHRD study. On May 28, in a meeting held between the officials of the ministry and secretary, school education, West Bengal, Manish Jain and other officials of the state government's education department, the startling fact was revealed. 

The representatives from Bengal were asked to find out the reasons behind the scenario. The ministry also gave a series of advisories to Jain and other officials. The officials of the state education department expressed their concern over the issue. ''Other than the mid-day meal scheme, special grants are allotted for the students from the minority community. We give them textbooks, uniforms and bicycles free of cost other than stipend facilities. All the district magistrates have been asked to engage their teams to find out the reasons behind the situation from ground-level,'' said an official of the education department.

In the advisories, the state government has been asked to study the National Achievement Survey's report thoroughly. The state government has also been asked to contact the dropout students and their guardians and convince them to bring the students back to schools with utmost priority. The survey also targeted students of Class V and Class VIII to know their skill in Bengali and English languages and in mathematics as well. 

''The ministry's report mentioned about the poor knowledge of the students in these three subjects raising a question on the quality of teaching in schools. The report suggested to ensure one teacher for 35 students,'' said an official. The official pointed out in many remote pockets of the state, the dropout students are the first generation who went to school. ''The ambience at their homes is not at all supportive. Parents prefer to engage their school-going children in other works to earn money. In addition, presently students' promotion to next classes is not restricted up to Class VIII. Once the students start facing exams from Class IX, many stops coming to school,'' he said