3 weeks ago
Ahmedabad 'Back to School' campaign re-enrolls 86% of dropouts
Many children in the Indian city of Ahmedabad had stopped going to school.
Their families needed them to sell vegetables or take care of younger brothers and sisters.
The government of Gujarat started a special plan called 'Back to School' to find these children and bring them back.
Teachers visited homes again and again, sometimes riding scooters through the city.
They talked to parents and told them about government help for students, especially girls.
Some parents thought girls should stay home and learn chores instead of studying.
Teachers also had trouble because many families moved often to find work.
But their hard work paid off.
Out of 10,387 children who had left school, more than 9,000 came back.
That is an 86% success rate, and the Chief Minister thanked the teachers for it.
Gujarat's State Education Department launched the 'Back to School' campaign in May-June 2026 to re-enroll over 6.41 lakh students who had dropped out across 44,000 government and grant-in-aid schools.
In Ahmedabad, 9,036 of 10,387 identified dropouts returned to school, an 86% success rate, including 1,357 students who continued education in other states or ITIs.
Head teacher Neetaben Bhadresha of Vasna Municipal Primary School Number 3 tracked down all 57 dropouts from her school by visiting their homes repeatedly on her scooter.
Teachers reported that parents often kept children out of school to help with vegetable vending or, especially for girls, to train them in household work.
Migration was a major obstacle, with families moving every 3-4 months and changing phone numbers; Principal Sanjay Raval said most parents at his school are from Rajasthan.
- Who
- Municipal school teachers in Ahmedabad, including Neetaben Bhadresha, Suketubhai Yagnik and Sanjay Raval, who tracked dropouts; Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel felicitated the teachers on July 22.
- What
- A 'Back to School' campaign that brought back 86% of identified school dropouts in Ahmedabad.
- Where
- Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India.
- When
- The campaign ran in May-June 2026, and teachers were felicitated on July 22.
- Why
- To re-enroll children who had dropped out of school, often to help parents with work or household chores.
Education officials and teachers
Parents and family livelihood needs
Children's work vs. schooling
Education officials and teachers
Teachers and the government conducted home visits to convince parents not to treat children as 'earning members' and to send them back to school.
Parents and family livelihood needs
Parents insisted that children help with work such as selling vegetables or buying them at the wholesale market, saying they needed the help.
Girls' education vs. household training
Education officials and teachers
Teachers made parents aware of government schemes, especially for girls, arguing that daughters should continue their studies.
Parents and family livelihood needs
Parents believed girls should not go out to study after a certain age and trained them in household work such as cooking, cleaning and washing.
Key facts
- City
- Ahmedabad, Gujarat
- Campaign
- 'Back to School' by State Education Department
- Success rate in Ahmedabad
- 86% (9,036 of 10,387 students re-enrolled)
- Dropouts identified in Gujarat
- Over 6.41 lakh students
- Schools covered
- 44,000 government and grant-in-aid schools
- Campaign period
- May-June 2026
- Felicitation
- July 22 by Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel
Quotes
NEETABEN N Bhadresha
Head teacher of Vasna Municipal Primary School Number 3
“"Migration is a big issue among parents in our school. A majority of them are from Rajasthan and a few from different districts of Gujarat. Around 80% of them are into footwear‑making work, while those from Gujarat are mainly safai kamdars."”
indianexpress.com
“"Parents are of the opinion that after a certain age, girls should not go out and study. Instead, they train them in household work such as stocking water, cutting vegetables, cooking, cleaning and washing."”
indianexpress.com
Sources
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