BENGALURU: The 'Education on Wheels' programme to educate school dropouts has been stopped as teachers assigned for the programme have been sent on COVID duties. At the insistence of Karnataka High Court, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) and Education Department had started the initiative to educate out-of-school children at their doorsteps.
Modified BMTC buses, with each carrying a teacher and two attendants along with the driver, used to go around a zone picking up children and teaching them at one location. While one BMTC bus was deployed to each zone, additional vehicles were sent to RR Nagar and South Zone on the court's directions.
The programme had also started at Gollareddy and Hossakerahalli wards. In all, 10 BMTC buses had been deployed to teach students aged between five and 15.
A BBMP official said that the suspension of the programme is only temporary, adding, "Around 190 teachers were assigned for the initiative. But now it is stopped as the teachers have been sent on Covid duty on the directions of zonal commissioners."
He also admitted that the survey to find out the exact number of school dropouts is not yet ready and is still going on. Around 40-60 children attended classes in each bus.
The teachers also maintained attendance registers. "The teachers have been unable to do follow-ups to ensure that the students are continuing studies at home. The Education Department is now stressing on Vidyagama and is working on accommodating dropouts in education mainstream," the official added.