Jajpur: The real purpose of Sarba Shikshya Abhiyan (SSA) seems to have failed in Jajpur district as more than 32.44% of SC and ST students have dropped out, raising concern among School and Mass Education Department officials.
The disturbing fact came to light when MLA Aswini Kumar Patar has raised a question in this regard in the State Assembly.
Sources said, 3262 students in the district have dropped out in the middle of their studies. Of them, the number of SCs is 1146 and STs is 2116.
The data has revealed that Yojanas like Prabesh Utsav, Special Educational Training System, Kasturiba Gandhi Women’s Hostel etc for the SCs and STs are totally worthless. The aim of the Sarba Shikshya Abhiyan to bring the SC and ST students into the main stream of society appears to have failed.
The SSA was launched in the district in 2004. A total of 2, 84, 040 students in the 6-14 age group are studying in 2016 government primary and upper primary schools in the district, according to the report. Of them, the number of SC and ST students is 10, 053.
The poor strength is seen not only in rural areas but also in the industrial areas. Poor economic condition, far away schools, poor road connectivity from the villages to the schools are the main reasons for the parents to pull out their children from schools, especially the SC and ST students.
Situations like vacancies in teacher posts, employment of teachers in various works except teaching, poor quality of teaching, etc can’t attract the students towards studies.
Due to poor socio-economic conditions, most of the students drop out in 4th or 5th Class. Though their names are registered in the schools, in reality, they are working for their livelihood as manual labour. The Mid-Day Meal programme is no enticement for students.
To draw more girls to schools, the government has launched Kasturiba Girls High School (KGSC) in the district. There are two KGSC in Sujanpur and Sukinda blocks. Hostel facilities are made available for the girl students from Class VI to Class VIII. But the SC and ST girls are dropping out. The school authority instead of persuading them to come back, it is admitting general students.
When SSA project coordinator Bishnucharan Sutar was asked about it, he said: “We are making provisions to convert the percentage of dropout students into 100% presence percentage.”
Though the SSA has completed 15 years in the district, the current situation in a developed district like Jajpur irks educationists.
PNN
