BENGALURU: In a first, the government will conduct door-to-door surveys to track children between the ages of 6 and 18, who are out of school. The initiative comes after a Karnataka High Court directive, and will be done in collaboration with the Rural Development and Panchayat Raj department and the Department of School Education and Literacy (DSEL). Women from self-help groups (SHGs) will be appointed as enumerators to conduct the survey using a mobile app.
Gram Panchayats in the state will take the lead and select two SSLC-qualified women from SHGs to survey 300 households in a village. “The Directorate of Electronic Delivery of Citizen Services (EDCS) has developed a mobile application that will survey students who are not in the mainstream,” read a circular from the RDPR department. The women will be trained by the education department to enter the correct details of the children.
As per data provided by DSEL in December last year, during 2022-2023 a total of 18,461 children had dropped out of school. The state is in seventh position for the highest number of dropouts. Between 2017-2023 - a period of six years - 71,945 students discontinued schooling, reveals data from Samagra Shikshana Karnataka (SSK).
The department has set July-end as the deadline for the survey to be completed, as directed by the HC. The women conducting the survey will be offered remuneration for their time and allowance for internet expenses.
Nagasimha Rao, Director, Child Rights Trust (CRT), said, “This joint initiative is a significant step towards ensuring every child’s right to education. To further enhance the impact, it’s essential to involve NGOs working in schools, youth groups and other stakeholders. Additionally, a comprehensive plan to prevent school dropouts, by addressing the root causes and providing supportive measures, will help sustain progress and create a lasting difference in the lives of young people.”
He added that out-of-school and child labour are two sides of the same coin. This number will help the government track those children as well. “There is a need to focus on ‘disguised child labour’ where children mostly work in families,” he said.
BBMP to survey school dropouts
The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike is all set to conduct a survey to find out the number of school dropouts in the city. As per information, the Palike will spend nearly Rs 3 crore for the survey. Chief Commissioner Tushar Girinath said the survey will start at Gandhinagar assembly constituency on a pilot basis. Areas like Ambedkar Colony, Narayan Rao Colony, VST Colony, Sanjay Gandhi Nagar and areas of Subash Nagar ward have been selected. “A short-term tender has been invited and NGOs will be given Rs 10 per house for the survey,” said Girinath.