Humble bicycle helping ambitious education mission

New Delhi, Apr 13 (UNI) The humble bicycle is doing a big job in checking girls' school drop-out rates in Haryana.

Under an innovative scheme launched in the last financial year under the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan(SSA), bicycles were given to girls who joined class VI in a government school located outside their village, if there was no middle level school in the vicinity.

The bicycle became the property of the girl when she appeared for class VIII examination.

As many as 16171 students benefitted from the scheme in the first year and the number increased to 21000 this year, according to the annual report of the Human Resource Development Ministry.

Girls residing in slums, farms and 'dhanis'(small habitations that have sprung up away from the main village/town) have also been covered under the programme.

The main reason for girls not continuing their education beyond primary level was non-availability of middle level school and also the lack of transport to reach schools located outside their village.

The SSA, launched in 2001-2002, covers the entire country and is aimed at universalisation of education up to elementary level. Its target is to bridge all gender and social category gaps at primary level by 2007 and at elementary level by 2010.

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