INTRODUCTION:

Education is one of the most important aspects of human resource development. Every child should have the opportunity to achieve his or her academic potential .The two indices have been increasingly used for measuring health within the total gamut of quality of life and the state of human development. These are physical quality of life index (PQLI) and human development index (HDI)¹. A perusal of these indices highlights the important complementary relationship between education and health also appeals to common sense. Healthy development of adolescentis dependent on several complex factors such as socio-economic circumstances, the environment in which they grow, the opportunities for education and development. Study after study has shown that the education of children is one of the best investments available to developing countries. It can increase income. It can mean late marriage and lower birth rates.

There are people living in isolation, natural and unpolluted surroundings far away from civilization with their traditional values, customs, beliefs and myth intact. They are commonly known as “tribal” they are largely unaffected by developmental processes going on in the rest of the state. Therefore, these groups remain backward particularly in education, socioeconomic aspect and health,

Lokmat News Paper²reported that school dropout among Children before completing matriculation was higher in Meghalaya (83.24%) and in Maharashtra (52.06%) and least in Kerala (8.58%).

The present study was undertaken in view of the importance of education outlined in the foregoing paragraphs to

A) Study the educational status of adolescents (aged 10-19 years) of tribal area of Maharashtra.

B) Ascertain the reasons for school drop -out

C) Determine relationship ,if any between educational status and social status

MATERIAL AND METHODS:

Present cross sectional study was carried out in tribal villages of Primary Health Centre, Waradh of Yavatmal District in Maharashtra State during Summer and Diwali holidays of year 2009-2010. There are total 6 sub centers in PHC Waradh, out of these Waradh sub centre was selected randomly. There are total 5 villages under Waradh sub centre which are situated 2 to 5 km away from Waradh. According to department of tribal development, Government of Maharashtra, the villages selected for study are tribal³. These villages are mostly inhabited by tribal people, belonging to Kolam, Perdhan, Gond, and Perkhi community and also have some non- tribal caste like Kunabi, Boudha, Dhanger, Sutar etc. In the study area total adolescents (male and female) were 520, out of which 18 were not available during home visit in study period hence total 502 adolescents were included in the study.

Before starting the study permission from District Health Officer, Yavatmal was obtained. Purpose of study was explained to trusted community leaders like Zillaparishad member, Sarpanch and parents of adolescents. Informed consent was taken from adolescents and from parents in case of minor.

In each village numbering of houses was carried out with the help of attendant and family folders were prepared. The age of study subject was confirmed from available age related proof and those who did not have any proof approximate age according to parents was considered. From family folder adolescent girls and boys 10-19 years of aged were interviewed. Data was collected on predesigned proforma which was modified after pilot study conducted on 50 study subjects. Socioecnomic classification was done according to B.G. Prasad Classification.

Statistical analysis was carried out by using percentage and chi square test.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION:

Table 1: Distribution of adolescents according to schooling status.

Schooling Status	No. of Adolescent Males (%)	No. of Adolescent females (%)	Total (%)
Never attended school	12 (4.90)	19 (7.40)	31 (6.18)
School drop out	82 (33.46)	89 (34.63)	171 (34.06)
Studying presently	151 (61.64)	149 (57.97)	300 (59.76)
Total	245 (100)	257 (100)	502 (100)

It was observed that out of 502 adolescents 31 (6.18%)adolescents had never attended the school, in which female adolescents were 19 (7.40%)being more than males 12 (4.90%).School drop outs in female adolescents were 34.63% and in male 33.46% and overall school drop outs were 34.06%.Percentage of Never attended school and /or school drop outs were higher in female adolescents (42.03%) than male adolescents (38.37%) and this difference was statistically significant (x²= 60.50, D.F = 1, P < 0.00001)

Table 2: Distribution of school drop outs adolescents according to number of years of schooling

Numbers of years of schooling	No. of Adolescent Male (%)	No. of Adolescent female (%)	Total (%)
<5 yrs.	23 (28.04)	14 (15.73)	37 (21.64)
5-<8 yrs.	42 (51.21)	46 (51.68)	88 (51.46)
8- <10 yrs.	17 (20.75)	21 (23.59)	38 (22.23)
10-< 12 yrs.	00	08 (9.00)	08 (4.67)
Total	82 (100)	89 (100)	171 (100)

Table 2 shows distribution of school drop outs adolescents according to number of years of schooling .It was observed that, over 95% dropped out before completing matriculation, 88 (51.46%) before completing 8 years of schooling and 37(21.64%) adolescents not completed even their primary education. Percentage of school drop out before completion of Primary was higher in adolescent males (28.04%) than adolescent females (15.73%) and overall school dropout was higher in females than males.

Table 3 : Reasons for school dropout.

Reasons	No. of Adolescent Male (%)	No. of Adolescent female (%)	Total (%)
Involved in earning	36 (43.90)	35 (39.33)	71 (41.52)
Parents not willing	11(13.40)	28 (31.46)	39 (22.80)
Repeated Failure	17 (20.74))	10 (11.24	27 (15.78)
Adolescent not Willing	13 (15.85)	13 (14.60)	26 (15.20)
Nobody to work in Home	03(3.66))	02 (2.24	05 (2.92)
Medical problems	02 (2.45)	01 (1.13)	03 (1.78)
Total	82 (100)	89 (100)	171 (100)

According to reasons put forth by adolescents, it was observed that maximum number of adolescents 71 (41.52%) left the school because they were involved in earning, they have to earn money to support their families, in this group adolescent males were higher (43.90%) than adolescent females (39.33%)followed by parents not willing 39 (22.80%). Repeated failure and adolescents themselves not willing were the reasons found in 27 (15.78%) and 26 (15.20%) respectively. Medical problems were the reason for3 (1.78%) adolescents and nobody to work in home to look after younger children was the reason put forth by 5 (2.92%) adolescents. Because of low Literacy in parents, old socio-cultural environment, low socioeconomic status, they thought that once their children are grown up they should help in earning of money. It was observed that percentage of Never attended school and/or school drop out was higher in female adolescents (42.03%) than male adolescents (38.37%) and this difference was Statistically significant.(x² = 60.50, D.F = 1, P < 0.0001). This means that some parents purposefully not enrolled their female child in school or if enrolled not allowed her to complete education even up to matriculation.

Table 4 : Relationship between Never attended school and school drop out and socioeconomic status.

Socioeconomic status	Never attended school and/or school drop outs (%)	Attending school (%)	Total (%)
Class I & II	3 (27.28)	8 (72.72)	11 (100)
Class III	5 (20)	20 (80)	25 (100)
Class IV	71 (35.33)	130 (64.67)	201 (100)
Class V	123 (46.42)	142 (53.58)	265 (100)
Total	202 (40.24)	300 (59.76)	502 (100)

² for trend = 10.22, D.F =3, P<0.001

It was observed that as socioeconomic status decreases, number of never attended school and/or school dropout increases, this association was highly significant as x² for trend is 10.22, D. F.=3 and P<0.001 this mean that low socioeconomic status play a significant role in increasing number of never attended school and school drop outs (Table 4)

Lal Sunder ⁴in his study among 456 girls in age group13-20 years in seven villages, observed that illiteracy level was high among economically weaker section as compared to higher castes, while Krishna Murthy Sarala (1997)⁵in their survey in rural southern Tamil Nadu observed that more boys (62.1%) attend school than girls (22.7%) among the 335 adolescents interviewed and also Sachar R.K. et al (1997)⁷in their study among 698 girls in the age group of 9-19 years in rural Punjab reported that 1 out of 10 girls were never enrolled in school and amongst the dropped outs, over 95% dropped out before completing matriculation, 63% before completing 8 years of schooling and 33% before completing primary education. In the present study similar finding of low enrollment rate, high drop out among females and adolescents belonging to low socioeconomic status was found.

Lokmat News Paper²reported that school dropout among children before completing matriculation was higher in Meghalaya (83.24%) and in Maharashtra (52.06%) and least in Kerala (8.58%). In Maharashtra school dropout among children of schedule Tribewas 38.58% before completion of primary school, 61.91% before completion of middle school and 76.18% before completion of matriculation. Ambadekar Nitin N et al ⁷observed 78.3% school drop out in their study.

In the present study adolescents never attended school were 31(6.18%), in which female adolescents never attend school were 19 (7.40%)which is less than reported in other studies^8,5,4,6. It might be due to Government emphasis on right to equality in education, initiation of supplementary nutritional programme in school, free primary education to all children and especially to female up to 12^thstandard, implementation of “Sarva Shiksha Abiyan”. In the present study overall school drop out among adolescents were 171 (34.06%) and among adolescent females were 89 (34.63%), which was higher than reported by Sachar R.K et al. Present study revealed school drop out before completing primary education was 37 (21.64%), which was less than observed by Sachar R.K.et al and Lokmat News Paper and it was over 95% before completing matriculation which was similar to Sachar R.K. et al study and more than observed by Lokmat News Paper. Present study observed the significant association of never attended school and / or school dropout with gender and low socioeconomic status similar findings were also observed by several other studies^8,5,4,6.

CONCLUSION:

From above observation and discussion, authors reached to the conclusion that 31 (6.18%) adolescents had never attended a school in which females 19 (7.40%) being more than males 12 (4.90%) .Over 95% dropped out before completing matriculation, 88 (51.46%) before completing 8 years of schooling and 37(21.64%) adolescents not completed even their primary education .In tribal region of Maharashtra school drop out rate before completion of matriculation was high (95%) as compared to rest of Maharashtra (52.06%). Parents gave preference to male child for education and low socioeconomic staus decreases the total schooling years of adolescents.

REFERENCES:

1. Park K. Text Book of preventive and social medicine, 21^stedition (M/sBanarsidas Bhanot Publishers, Jabalpur) 2011: 16 and 17.

2. Lokmat News Paper, Aurangabad Edi. Dated 10 January 2007.

3. Department of Tribal Development, Govt. of Maharashtra. Village wise information regarding total and tribal population (1995): 110.

4. Lal Sunder. Mother Perceptions and Ambitions about their daughters in rural area. Indian Journal of Community Medicine. (1997) 22 (1):22- 27.

5. Krishnamurthy Sarala. Tobacco use in Rural Indian Children. Indian Pediatrics (1997) 34:923 – 926.

6. Sachar R K et al. A study of educational status of rural girls of Punjaband its relationship with their social and mental status. Indian Journal of Community Medicine (1997) 22 (3):96 – 102.

7. Ambadekar Nitin N et al. Study of some social problems and correlates of child laborers in slums of Nagpur. Indian Journal of Community Medicine(1998) 23 (2):57 – 61.

8. Gupta V M, Senprithviraj. Adolescent Health. Indian Journal of Public Health (2001) 45 (1):3-7.

Received on 11.03.2013 Modified on 01.04.2013

Int. J. Ad. Social Sciences 1(1): July –Sept. 2013; Page 34-36