Scheme to reduce tribal students drop out rate

Bhubaneswar, Oct 27 (UNI) The Orissa government is working on a scheme to reduce the high dropout rate prevailing among tribal students in primary and secondary levels.

The scheme christened as ''Gyanalog'' is conceived by Orissa Governor M C Bhandare who feels that only literacy can help eradicate poverty among the tribals and help them lead a better life.

According to a survey conducted by the DPEP the drop out rate of tribal children was 20 per cent higher than that of other students.

While the total literacy rate of the state was 63 per cent, the tribal literacy rate was only 37.37 per cent.

As per the scheme all universities of the state would make a survey of the tribal villages in their respective areas and identify the dropped out students,schools and their parents.

The students enrolled under the National Social Service Scheme would visit a village once a week and try to motivate the students to join the schools through performing arts and sports.

The literature produced by OPECA and the Sarva Sikhya Abhijan scheme would also be involved in the effort.

A meeting held here under the Chairmanship of Chief Secretary A K Tripathy also asked each university to prepare a budget for implementation of the scheme in their respective areas. After the budget was prepared the state government would request the union government for assistance for the implementation of the scheme.

A decision was also taken to include the scheme under the Local Area Development Fund of the MLAs and MPs and to relax the norm for opening of schools in tribal areas. While a minimum of 40 students were required to open a class in other areas, it would be reduced to 25 in tribal areas, official sources here said.

The Higher Educational department will act as the nodal agency for implementation of the scheme, it said.

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