Hetauda, Dec. 27 -- Despite several efforts to keep children in schools, school dropout rate is still alarming in Makwanpur district, say authorities.

According to the data available at the District Education Development and Coordination Unit in Makwanpur, a total of 12,220 children left school before the completion of the academic year of 2018/19. The academic year begins from mid-April in the hill and Tarai districts across the country.

Krishna Prasad Paudel, an official at the unit, said the school dropout rate was 15.84 percent in 2018/19. "Almost all the dropout students are from community schools," said Paudel, adding that although the dropout rate was decreasing in recent years, the number of out-of-school children was still very...