Baripada: Scores of children are still out of schools in Mayurbhanj district though the district administration has been executing a novel project ‘Mu Bi Padhibi’ under the Sarva Sikhya Abhiyan (SSA) since 2013.
Our correspondent spotted two kids selling wild mushrooms at Kathapal Saturday. Lalu Dehuri (12) and Sunil Dehuri (11) were vending on a roadside at Kathapal, 4 km from here.
Asked about their education, they said, “We are poor and our parents are daily wagers. We sell mushrooms and other forest produce to supplement our family income.”
“We had studied up to Class-V at Purastampur UP school. After Class V examination, we were ejected from school,” they rued.
What is surprising is how they could not be spotted by administrative officials or NGO activists who pass by on the road on a daily basis.
This instance has posed a question mark on the implementation of the project.
Recently, a child labourer was inhumanly tortured at Tulasi Choura area here. Locals wondered how he could not be identified for ‘Mu Bi Padhibi’ programme. There are several such instances in the district.
According to reports, the administration had conducted household surveys in order to indentify children, who are out of bounds of school. Even child labourers aged between 6 and 14 years were also identified during the survey.
A total of 5,525 children were identified and admitted to residential schools, Kasturaba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas and special residential schools. The state government had praised the special residential schools at Bisoi and Purnachandrapur under this project and later decided to replicate the model in 10 other districts.
Recently, the secretary of the school and mass education department held discussions with officials of 10 districts over implementation of the project.
But the reality is different. It is alleged the officials coordinating in this project, particularly in tribal-dominated and inaccessible pockets, are misleading the administration by giving false reports about student identification and enrolment.
District project coordinator of SSA, Diganta Routray said such problems will be looked into and action be taken. PNN
