CHENNAI: Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) Commissioner GS Sameeran on Tuesday announced that the civic body will soon conduct a comprehensive socio-economic survey of children across the city, with a special focus on families residing in Tamil Nadu Urban Habitat Development Board (TNUHDB) tenements, to identify out-of-school children and facilitate their inclusion in the education system.
The survey is expected to commence within the next two to three months, Sameeran told TNIE.
Sameeran said the proposed survey would go beyond identifying school dropouts and examine multiple socio-economic factors affecting children’s access to education.
“This will not merely be an out-of-school children survey. We plan to assess various aspects, including educational status, availability of essential documents such as Aadhaar and other certificates required for continuing education, and identifying eligible students for government scholarships and welfare schemes.
"Many children are unable to access benefits due to the absence of necessary documents. The survey will also examine psychological and social issues affecting children,” he said.
Sameeran added that the questionnaire was presented during a review meeting held on Tuesday with the Community Development Wing (CDW) and the Socio-Economic Development Wing (SEDW). “The process is currently at the planning stage.
"I have asked officials to refine and standardise the questionnaire. Once it is finalised, a suitable agency with experience in conducting similar surveys will be identified. The primary focus will be on TNUHDB tenement sites,” he said.
The survey will involve field inspections, data collection, and enumeration activities aimed at generating comprehensive information on children’s educational and socio-economic conditions. Sameeran directed officials to expedite preparatory work to ensure the survey is launched at the earliest.
During the review meeting at Ripon Buildings, the commissioner also assessed the functioning of the 57 night shelters operated by the corporation for the urban homeless.
The review covered beneficiary occupancy, maintenance of facilities, service delivery, and security arrangements. Noting the need for uniform standards across all shelter facilities, Sameeran directed officials to finalise and implement SOPs for night shelters at the earliest.