About 18,000 school dropouts were recorded in Ba Province in 2018.
This was revealed during the Ba Provincial Council meeting at Soso Village on Naviti, Yasawa.
Assistant Commissioner of Police Livai Driu said this should be a great concern to the province as it would result in other socioeconomic issues.
He said this could lead to an increase in criminal activities resulting in more people landing in jail.
He called on the province to encourage development and employment opportunities for their people so they would not turn to a life of crime.
“I brought up this issue with the traditional leaders of Ba because this is where they will need to address it,” ACP Driu said.
“It is important that they know that there is a problem they will need to address and once they are made aware of it and make the decisions to address it then everyone will follow.
“The council has a duty to their people and I believe that they will address it.”
Sharing his concerns over the large number, former Roko Tui Ba Viliame Burenivalu said a special committee must be set up to address the issue.
