Silicon Valley: Nearly half of all high school students in America's largest cities fail to graduate from public high schools, a report by the America's Promise Alliance revealed today.

Students in suburban and rural public high schools are more likely to graduate than their counterparts in urban public high schools, the research said.

According to the report "Cities in Crisis" by the non-profit alliance, post graduation rates of 17 of America s 50 largest cities is less than 50 per cent. Some, like Detroit and Indianapolis, graduate only three out of every 10 high school students. "When more than 1 million students a year drop out of high school, it's more than a problem, it's a catastrophe," said former Secretary of State Colin Powell, Founding chair of the alliance.

"It's essential that we fix this system and get more kids that are coming out with high school degrees to go into technical schools and community colleges, if America is going to stay in the forefront of this globalising world," Powell added.

The alliance also urged the policymakers, from the local to the national levels, to consider all options for ensuring that America's next generation is fully prepared to enter an increasingly global workforce.
Source : PTI