7 Million Still Out Of School

By Staff
|
Google Oneindia News

New Delhi, June 5 (UNI) As many as seven million of 32 million children estimated to be out of school in 2001-02 were yet to be enrolled as of April 2006, the Human Resource Development Ministry reported today.

A statement by the HRD Ministry citing attainments of the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan said enrolling scheduled caste, scheduled tribe and minority children was still a challenge.

The statement said the authorities were turning their focus now on hardest to reach' children. It did not elaborate.

The Ministry's flagship programme aimed at universalising access to primary education for all 6-to-14-year-olds was claimed to have made ''remarkable progress'' in raising access and narrowing gender and social gaps.

''The projected infrastructure gaps in schools has (been) reduced at primary level,'' the statement said.

It said more than 240,000 new schools were opened till December 2006 and 157,000 school buildings and 650,000 additional classrooms constructed. Also provided were 157,000 drinking water facilities and 203,000 toilets.

''The country is approaching near universalisation of enrolment at the primary stage,'' the statement said.

The Dropout rate has declined 10.54 per cent at primary level and 15.08 per cent among girls between 2001-02 to 2004-05.

SC students form 18.64 per cent of elementary level enrolment, and ST students, 9.02 per cent, according to the District Information System for Education 2005-06.

''The gender gap overall has closed and is reflected in the steady increase in the Gender Parity Index. Several states have reported a 90-plus Index at primary level.

The campaign is now paying ''greater attention'' to completing access and retention rates at upper primary level and emphasising quality of learning.

Steps include hiring 822,000 teachers and giving in-service teachers intensive training and eligible children free textbooks and 4.3 million children remedial teaching. Computer-aided learning at upper primary level and independent testing of children have also been emplaced to improve quality.

The Abhiyan is intended to provide quality elementary education to all 6-to-14-year-olds in a timebound manner, covering all States and Union Territories and reaching out to 194 million children in 123,000 habitations.

Its key goals: -- All children in school, Education Guarantee Centres, Alternate Schools, 'Back to School Camps by 2005'; -- Bridge all gender and social category gaps at primary stage by 2007 and at elementary level by 2010; -- Achieve universal retention by 2010; and -- Focus on elementary education of satisfactory quality with emphasis on education for life.

UNI

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