Sangsad Bhaban: Primary and Mass Education Minister Mostafizur Rahman on Sunday told Parliament that the dropout rate in the country’s primary education is 18.8 percent.

‘According to the Annual Primary School Census 2017, the dropout rate in the primary education is 18.8 percent,’ he placed the data replying to an unstarred question from Awami League MP Israfil Alam (Naogaon-6), reports the UNB.

The reasons behind the dropout are poverty, unawareness, child labour, remote communication and illiteracy, the minister said.

Noting that different programmes are underway at the field level to prevent the dropout, Mostafizur Rahman mentioned the programmes in the House.

In reply to a starred question from Awami League MP Didarul Alam (Chittagong-4), the Primary and Mass Education Minister said a total of 20,847 head teacher posts lie vacant in the primary schools across the country.