Drop-Out Victims: Implications And Wayout

By Prince Bayo Adeniran

Poorly-baked cake is a liability to the producer and a disadvantage to the consumer as it provides no value, apart from being injurious to the body. From this perspective, let us imagine the aftermath of a child that drops out of school, prematurely. A collapsed aspiration! What could have caused the setback? What impact of this collapse is felt in society? What solution could be proffered as panacea for such academic disaster and social calamity?

Charity begins at home! A child, not fortunate to have good parental care and sustainable upbringing, eventually becomes a burden of dependency and symbol of society unrest. There is the tendency for him to be wayward, irresponsible, and lazy, without any urge to learn. He becomes wasted and, so, fades out.

Worse still is the negative role of the teacher in the learning process of the child. A child could easily drop out of school if the teacher fails to perform his obligations by training, educating and supervising him. A bully-teacher, wicked, vindictive and lethargic, kills the future of the child put in his care. His enthusiasm is jeopardized with his vision blurred and blocked! What a misfit foster parent! Such a child may consequently be threatened out of school, with marred future.

Dropping out of school has some negative impact on society as it boomerangs to a regrettable level. Such a child is an unpleasant burden, social thorn in the flesh, and a grave multi- dimensional security risk in society.  He struggles for needed sustenance and survival, not minding any repercussion of his disastrous venture. No meaningful contribution, by him, in the task of developing a nation.

He has some choices to achieve his objectives, ranging from (armed) robbery, swindling, drug addiction, cultism and kidnapping to terrorism and insurgency. He joins his dissident and recalcitrant group to perpetrate various evils – creating social unrest, political instability and economic depression within his community and society at large. Through his misadventure, many innocent lives are lost, many houses robbed, while many innocent ladies become victims of forced defloration.

The activities of drop-out children are challenging socio - economic problems which should be attacked headlong by various governments in favour of peace, progress and stability in society. Hardened and unrelenting criminals, among the drop–outs, should be summarily dealt with according to the laws of the land, while those who are amendable, and could still be reclaimed, and be gainfully employed to acquire various skills that would make them useful and productive. Afterall, a healthy tree, with sustainable stamina, enables birds to enjoy uninterrupted perching and relaxing posture. “A stitch in time saves nine”, and even more.