Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya scheme a major draw for students to rejoin school

Dhamcheera (Tripura), Jan 6 (ANI): Hundreds of school dropouts and poor students have been drawn to rejoin school by the Union Government's Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya (KGBV) scheme in Tripura.

Centre launched the scheme to provide education to the underprivileged girls, predominantly of Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribe, Other Backward Classes and minority groups.

Of the seven schools opened under the scheme, one is located at Dhamcherra, an educationally backward block in the state. It has 50 students on its rolls.

According to Ramendra Chadra Nath, one of the schoolteachers, girls studying in KGBV are from poor and BPL families.

"School dropout who do not have the financial sources to pursue their education are kept in the hostel and given all free facilities for their educational upliftment. KGBV girls study here with the students of general school but they are doing better and improving gradually as they get extra care in their hostel," he said.

Under the scheme, which forms part of Sarva Shiksha Abhiyaan (Education for All) initiative, the students are provided with free school uniforms, books, food and lodging.

Alongside, the girls are taught the basics in computer knowledge to enable them to keep pace with the modern trends.

Students have been offered facilities to play games like volleyball; handball, Kho-kho, carrom and chess at the school. They are also taught yoga.

Besides, the girls are also trained in various vocational skills to make them self-reliant.

Students admit the KGBV scheme has actually benefited them.

"I belong to Jhumia family and had to leave my education due to poverty. Then I joined KGBV and started my education again," said Sagarika Reang, one of the students.

"We also get extra coaching so that we can do well. I am very happy after joining here and hope to do better in my future," Reang added.

The government has sanctioned opening of 2,573 schools under this scheme. Nearly 196,000 girls have enrolled themselves to these schools By Pinaki Das(ANI)