subjects.133 However, the pursuit of vocational training and skills are considered as inferior to pursing an academic degree since white‐collar jobs are considered by general population134. In the year 2013, 77 courses were conducted in 18 schools (from 325 schools) and a total of 301 students obtained vocational subjects.135 The reasons for such low level of conduct of vocational courses include limitation of resources, capacity and institutional mechanisms to oversee the progress.136 79. While the state has made remarkable progress in ensuring access to education to all children, children enrolled in lower secondary education in island based schools are in a disadvantaged position to take up science or arts stream subjects due to budgetary constraints. Its efforts to deliver lower secondary education services equally without any discrimination to all children in the country are not ensured; especially those residing in the islands need to be a priority. Number of schools that offer different streams Art Stream(Geography and History) Science (Chemistry) Business (Commerce/Business Studies) 198 181 181 121 104 114 8 6 2012 7 2013 2014 Source: Ministry of Education. Information received in 2015 streams offered in schools ‐2014 180 160 140 120 100 80 60 40 20 0 164 97 6 1 Male' Atolls Art Stream (Geography/ History) 17 Male 17 Atolls Science (Chemistry) Male Atolls Business(Commerce/ Business) Source: Ministry of Education. Information received in 2015 80. Paragraph 215 of the CRC state report provides an accurate explanation of the situation of school age girls who become pregnant by stating that they will leave school without formally being expelled due to social pressure and fear of being bullied or harassed, concurrently, highlighting gender aspect of it. 81. Bullying in schools remains as an area of concern. So far there has been no national level analysis undertaken to understand the prevalence of bullying in schools. Page 21 of 39