Barada: We Aim to Expand Second Chance Schools to Combat School Dropout
Follow-up
On Monday, Minister of National Education, Mohamed Saad Barada, revealed that the ministry is working to increase the capacity of second chance schools from 20,000 students currently to 35,000, aimed at accommodating the growing number of school dropouts, particularly in the middle school level.
During a session of oral questions in the House of Representatives regarding the role of remedial education programs in reducing school dropout rates, the minister explained that out of 238,000 students who have dropped out, 160,000 belong to middle school. This represents the greatest challenge for the ministry.
Barada noted that improving educational quality contributes to lowering dropout rates. He added that the ministry has worked to incorporate extracurricular activities in leading institutions, such as sports, theater, cinema, and music, to enhance students’ self-confidence and encourage better integration into school life.
He mentioned that several students who previously struggled with shyness have started to shine in these activities, which has motivated them to improve their academic performance, stating, "When a student succeeds in extracurricular activities, they make a greater effort in their studies."
In the context of adopting new approaches to reduce school dropout, Barada indicated that the ministry has utilized artificial intelligence through the "Massar" program to identify students at risk of dropping out. The ministry successfully identified the at-risk group with a 90% accuracy rate and has begun to monitor and support them.
The minister affirmed that reducing the number of dropouts from 160,000 to 80,000 requires providing educational alternatives for these students, including second chance schools. He reported that these institutions, managed by approximately 300 associations, will be given additional resources to facilitate the expansion process.
Concluding, the government official emphasized that achieving this goal necessitates the establishment of one second chance school for every ten middle schools, noting that this endeavor will require time and sustained efforts.
