POVERTY CAUSES MORE SCHOOL DROPOUTS

Purwakarta, W Java, Nov 16 (ANTARA) - The distance between school and home in several areas in Purwakarta regency, West Java, becomes a main problem of school dropouts in that regency.
"For some people living below the poverty line, bus fares for their children going to school are very burdensome. Especially when their houses are far from school," head of the Purwakarta education agency Maqbul Hidayat, said here Sunday.
While in last several years, the number of school dropouts in Purwakarta in 2007 and 2008 from January to August tends to decline, he said.
The decline takes place as the people's awareness in education and the government's assistance for education has increased.
"The government's aid like scholarships, School Operational Fund (BOS) and others, is very helpful to reduce the number of dropouts," he said.
However, when questioned on the number of dropouts in the last three years, he said he did not know the exact number.
"I don't know the number, but compared to the last threee years, in Purwakarta the number is decreasing," he said.