LARKANA, Aug 30: Around 380 schools remain closed in the district and the average drop-out rate among girl students ranges between 19.6 and 23 per cent and that among boys between 15 and 21 per cent.

According to sources, out of the closed schools, 176 are those of boys - from primary to higher secondary levels - and 132 of girls, whereas the number of schools for girls as well as boys is 68.

Frequent transfers and reported non-availability of local teachers coupled with political interference has left such a high number of schools inoperative in the district, impairing academic growth and rendering ineffective efforts of the district government to make the schools functional.

The worst-affected are the rural areas where a majority of closed schools is located. In the urban areas, only four schools remain closed. This speaks volumes of the interest shown by education officials in running rural schools.

According to a survey of the Sindh Education Management Information System, Larkana, about 105 school buildings have been declared dangerous and 772 schools have no buildings.

A source said that the survey indicated that 34, 74, 71 and 78 per cent of boys did not attend primary, middle, secondary and intermediate schools respectively, whereas the percentage of girls was assessed at 57, 86, 85 and 89 per cent, respectively.