Andaman plans to win back 100 per cent enrolment record

Port Blair, Dec 6 (UNI) With a view to strengthening the basic education framework in the villages, the Andamans and Nicobar Education department has committed themselves to winning back the distinction of hundred per cent enrolment of children under the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan(SSA) scheme.

''The Islands' administration has achieved the national record and maintained the same till December 26, 2004 when the tsunami catastrophe wreaked havoc,'' Mr Nachiappan, Assistant Director of Andaman Education Department told UNI yesterday.

Mr Nachiappan said the administration was striving hard to win back the area's record achievement of hundred per cent enrolment in the SSA and in February last total enrolment in the Nicobar district had been re-established.

According to the latest information, only 302 children were not attending any primary school, he pointed out.

The gap would be plugged soon as the annual budget for education in the current financial year was Rs 13.5 crore, he said.

Decentralisation of the school education system to Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRI) was a major breakthrough, he said, pointing that inspection rights of schools had also been diluted.

''By December 31 we would make sure that all these left out children are enrolled in schools of Andaman and Nicobar Islands,'' he said.

Arvind Ray, Secretary, Education, said his department would leave no stone unturned to implement all the aspects of SSA components.

''Problems like teachers' unwillingness to come and join duty in difficult areas would also be looked into with proper attention,'' Mr Ray said.

Mr Nachiappan said supplementary schemes like mid-day meal (Dopahar Bhojan Yojana) to primary school children would be strengthened.

''We are making sure that mid-day meal and Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan are implemented in these islands properly,'' he added.

UNI SKR SJC KD HS0918