Guwahati: The World Bank has approved a USD 35 million (approximately Rs 290 crore) project in Meghalaya to help 5,00,000 adolescents transition from school to work by reducing dropout rates, refining learning consequences, and offering guidance for retrieving jobs and starting businesses.
Meghalaya's adolescents, who make up over 24 per cent of the state population, face barriers to their education and physical and mental health. The project aims to reinforce learning outcomes for adolescents (grades 6-12) by closing gaps in reading and math skills and equipping students with life skills, mental health awareness and career guidance.
Moreover, a special focus of the project will be to reach out to student dropouts and offer them equal support. The project, in partnership with Meghalaya State Skills Development Society, will also impart business skills to budding entrepreneurs and out-of-school adolescents.
The holistic well-being method adopted under the project reflects learning from states like Jharkhand, where similar initiatives are enhancing adolescent learning outcomes.
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International experience has shown that the likelihood of securing quality jobs increases significantly with the completion of an education.
The project design has also benefited from World Bank operations in Tanzania and Bangladesh, where youth engagement through information on job opportunities, counselling and safe community spaces helped reduce school dropout rates.
FIRST Business Portal addressing the potential of business capability of North East Region.
