The Education Ministry revealed that a 2008 research conducted at the Nabua Matua Programme had showed that a major factor in the number of school dropouts was attributed to financial problems.

Minister Filipe Bole said 29.5 percent of those identified blamed their financial status while examination failure rated a mere 15.4 percent.

He added studies conducted in Fiji have shown that many children from Fijian and rural areas are more likely at risk of dropping out of school, because they come from low income families and the apparent lack of accessibility to quality education.

Bole said drugs and teenage pregnancies are problems that are becoming prevalent in secondary schools.

He added to reduce the wastage rate in schools they have implemented a number of strategies one of which is Compulsory education, which includes the provision of grants and remission of fees to both primary and secondary schools.