2,914 students drop out of Kerala state syllabus schools in 2024-25; over a third are migrant workers' children

In the 2024-25 academic year, 2,914 students dropped out of Kerala's state syllabus schools, with 36.65% (1,068) being children of inter-state migrant workers, primarily from Assam, West Bengal, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and Odisha. Most left because their families returned to their home states or moved for work. Ernakulam district accounted for 36.5% of migrant dropout children. Additionally, 29 children of foreign workers (27 from Nepal, 2 from Bangladesh) left due to returning home. Another major reason was 'lack of interest in studies,' affecting 704 students, with 42.19% concentrated in Wayanad district. Other factors included moving to other states/countries (213), dysfunctional families (174), illness (163), religious education prioritization (103), parental negative attitude (78), poverty (43), mobile phone addiction (33), and school distance (29). The state government had launched the Jyothi programme to address migrant children's education and reduce dropouts.