Understanding the Context of Absenteeism in Rural Nepal’s Public Schools, Beyond Enrollment

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Description

This session attempts to explain the overlooked issue of school absenteeism and dropout in rural Nepal, drawing from a qualitative study conducted in the Durga Bhagwati Rural Municipality of Rautahat District - Nepal’s lowest-literacy region. While enrollment campaigns have increased school registrations, the persistent challenge remains: students enrolled in schools are not attending regularly. Through the lens of Bronfenbrenner's Ecological Systems Theory, the session unpacks how interlinked systemic issues like; poor school quality, lack of engaging learning experiences, economic hardship, governance weaknesses, and sociocultural dynamics, interfere with the regular school attendance and push the children away from schooling.

PRESENTER: Sweta Adhikary

Sweta Adhikary is an education researcher and development practitioner with over a decade of experience in primary school leadership, teacher training, and educational project management. She holds a Master’s in Education (Leadership and Management) and an MBA, and she is currently concluding her doctoral research on access to education for marginalized communities in Nepal. Sweta has worked with NGOs, universities, and international partners, and has presented her work globally, including at the University of Glasgow and international conferences on transformative education. Her research is grounded in grassroots realities, with a focus on strengthening school engagement, reducing absenteeism, and enhancing the quality of education in rural and marginalized contexts.