Jajpur: The implementation of Sarva Sikshya Abhiyan has gone haywire in Jajpur district with around 5,000 children found to have dropped out, a report said Sunday. The total number of students is 2,84,040.
According to a government report, while around 114 children in the 6-14 age group were dropouts in 2018-19 the number of dropouts was 1,352 in 2016-17. The figure claimed by the government includes 54 boys and 60 girls. This is four per cent of the total number of students.
However, as per private estimates the claim is far from reality as the number of dropouts is around 5,000. This is much more than the government estimate.
According to a report from the Sarva Sikshya Abhiyan office, the proportion of dropouts in the primary level is 3.30 per cent while it is 3.60 per cent at the upper primary level.
Observers said the objectives of Sarva Sikshya Abhiyan can never be achieved if the reasons for the dropouts are not found fast.
Sarva Sikshya Abhiyan was implemented in the district from 2004. The programme aims at providing compulsory, quality education to children in the 6-14 age group.
The reasons for the high dropout rate are poverty and distance of the schools from the houses of the children.
Besides, lack of adequate teachers in village schools, engagement of teachers in other works and some schools running with a single teacher has hit primary education.
Many of the schools with just one teacher often remain closed when the teacher is absent. Moreover, the distribution of textbooks to students six months after the session has started has also hit studies.
The government has taken initiatives like providing free midday meals, free uniforms and textbooks to students, but funds meant for these schemes were allegedly misappropriated.
District Education Officer Krushna Chandra Nayak said he has called for a report on dropouts to check whether 300 students had dropped out as claimed by the women and child development department. He will take necessary steps after receiving the report, Nayak said.
PNN
