Amsterdam - Schools in the Dutch city of Rotterdam are to implement measures aimed at preventing female pupils from being forced into arranged marriages.

Pupils would, before the start of the summer vacation, be given the option of signing a statement that authorizes their school to inform police in the event that they fail to return to school after the break.

In the Netherlands, it is not uncommon for girls of Moroccan, Turkish and Pakistani descent to drop out of school after entering into marriage during this period.

Local government official Jantine Kriens on Wednesday said the measure has been very effective in protecting teenage girls in Britain.

Kriens also announced that the city would launch a special awareness campaign for teenagers on the risks and dangers of arranged marriages and so-called honour-related family violence.

Teachers at high schools in Rotterdam would also receive training in recognizing and dealing with such issues.

City officials were coordinating closely with the country's justice, immigration and integration departments in implementing the measures, which could be adopted on a national level if proved successful.