GADAG: Karnataka has a problem with learning. The state’s school dropout rate in secondary education is 22%, way higher than the national average of 14%, according to statistics available for 2023-24. The dropout rate was 1.7% in primary education and 2.7% in upper primary education.
Despite constitutional provisions such as Right to Education Act (RTE), 2009, improving the situation is a huge challenge.
Now Gadag is living up to that challenge with an admirable initiative, led by Minister for Law and Tourism and Gadag MLA, HK Patil. The town is looking for its missing children.
Gadag Deputy Director’s Office, Gadag Area Education Officer’s Office and Siddalinga Nagar Government High School have jointly organised a campaign ‘Come, Come to School, for a Bright Future’ from June first week.
The aim of the campaign is to bring back school dropouts. Many officials in both urban and rural areas are now looking for students in farms and working sites to convince their parents and children themselves to come back to schools.
‘Come, Come to School, for a Bright Future’ is a process-driven project. First, the officials and teachers conducted a survey and prepared a list of dropped out students. Then they mapped them as per area, village and wards. Block Education Officers (BEO) roped in Cluster Resource Persons, teachers and headmasters and started visiting houses of dropped out students. They then persuaded the parents to send their wards back to school and convinced them about the fruits of education.
Till Saturday, their efforts have brought back 14 students in Gadag town, 11 students in Ron town and eight in Gadag Rural area to schools. The state education department has not yet collated the data since it is only the beginning of the campaign.
The students are thrilled to come back to school. Twelve-year-old Chittaranjan (name changed) said: “We are thankful to the school and the education department for conducting a survey and bringing us back to school. Many students of our age are now coming back after watching us. Consecutive droughts, floods and Covid waves forced many children to quit school. We are happy that this new campaign will bring back many of us back to their schools.”
Minister Patil said: “For the country to become great, everyone should be well-educated. Children in the age group of 6 to 14 who have dropped out of school should be educated by bringing them back to school. The government’s concern is to educate all children. The noble purpose of educating everyone and building a dignified life lies in providing education.”
R S Burudi, Deputy Director, School Education Department, said: “Quality education should be the right of every child. In this context, we are trying to bring the children who have dropped out of school back in the current year under the leadership of Minister HK Patil. All BEOs, CRPs, teachers and other staff are now reaching out to dropout students to bring them back”.