BENGALURU: Whopping 10,12,800 children are out of schools and anganwadis in the state, reveals data submitted by the state government to the Karnataka High Court on Wednesday. The data was collected during a first-of-its kind, door-to-door survey conducted across the state.
Of these children, 4,54,238 are in the 0-3 age group, while 5,33,205 are 4-6 year olds. Among children in the age group of 6-14, 15,338 are out of school, while 10,018 never enrolled in schools. Of the total population of 17,70,081 children in the 0-18 age category, 2,73,936 (0-3 years) and 3,02,088 children (4-6 years) never enrolled in anganwadis. Of 11,83,929 children in the age group of 6-14 who enrolled in schools, 2,162 have dropped out. Another 1,545 never enrolled in schools.
The survey was conducted in rural, urban areas and in Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike limits by the Department of Samagra Shikshana Karnataka (SSK) following directions from the high court on a suo motu public interest litigation initiated in 2013 to bring children, who have dropped out, back to school. As compared to both rural and urban areas, the number of out-of-school children is the highest in BBMP limits.
In urban areas, excluding BBMP, of 13,73,921 children in the age group of 0-18, 87,294 (0-3 years) and 1,23,329 children (4-6 years) did not get enrolled to anganwadis. In all, 2,798 children in the 6-14-year age group are out of school, while 3,225 never enrolled.
In rural areas, of the total population of 35,24,260 children, 93,008 in the 0-3 year age group, and 1,07,789 children aged four to six years did not enrol to anganwadis. In the 6-14 age category, of the 27,11,479 children who enrolled, 10,378 are out of school. Another 5,248 never got enrolled in schools.
High-powered committee to submit report
Recording the data submitted by amicus curiae KN Phanindra, who is a senior counsel, a division bench of Acting Chief Justice Alok Aradhe and Justice JM Khazi directed the high-powered committee to meet on July 16 and consider the issue of out of school children and to submit a report on admitting these children to anganwadis.
Immediate attention needed: Amicus curiae
“Necessary steps will have to be taken by the state government to ensure primarily that the children in the age of 6-14 years who are either ‘Never Enrolled’ or ‘Have Dropped Out’ are enrolled to schools and brought back within the schooling system. Further, steps should be taken for evolving adequate measures to either set up sufficient anganwadi centres or in ensuring that children aged between zero and six years are provided the option of enrolling into the anganwadi centres,” Amicus Curiae Phanindra said in the report submitted to the court. It is said closure of anganwadis during pandemic, non-supply of food and migration of labourers are among reasons.