'132 school dropouts in DK'

There are 132 children between the age group of seven and 14, who have remained outside the portals of schools in Dakshina Kannada. This includes 56 girls and 76 boys.

Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan had carried out a five-day survey of school dropouts and those who have never enrolled to school from December 12 in the district.
Speaking to Deccan Herald, SSA Deputy Project Coordinator Shivaprakash said that the number of school dropouts last year was 137.

There was no school dropout in Puttur taluk this year. The highest number of children who have remained outside the portals of the schools was found in Mangalore taluk with 43 children (18 boys and 25 girls).

The number of children who were traced in other taluks are as follows: Bantwal—14 (13 boys, 1 girl); Belthangady—3 (one boy and two girls), Mangalore city—32 (18 boys and 14 girls), Moodbidri —27 (18 boys and 9 girls), and Sullia—13 (8 boys and five girls).

An added feature of this year’s survey was that photographs of the children were taken on the spot and its digitised version will be preserved with the database of such children.

The photographs will help the department in tracking the children wherever they are and tracing them in case if they are dropped out of school again.

He said that till last year, there was no system of clicking the photographs of such children during the survey. Their details were being maintained without photographs.

 “However, this year, clicking the photographs has been made mandatory. The photographs will be helpful, to trace them even if the children moved out of the district. If a student was not attending classes for two months he or she will be considered as a drop out,” he said.

Mainstreaming

Shivaprakash said that all the school dropout children will be enrolled to school from January itself. “Normally, we were mainstreaming them during June. However, this year, we have decided to mainstream the children from January itself. Depending on their competency, we will enrol them to various classes.

Many will be admitted to fifth standard. We have already instructed the officials to enrol students to Chinnara Thangudana in Mangalore and Belthangady, in case of necessity. Majority of the children are of migrant labourers and of those who had migrated to other districts from here,” he said.

Tent school

Shivaprakash said that 13 migrant labourers’ children were traced in Talapady. “We have made arrangement to start a tent school in Talapady school premises. The syllabus of ‘Chinnara Angala,’ a bridge course will be applied for training the students in tent school.

The syllabus gives emphasis to skill development, basics in mathematics, improving language skills and so on. Government school in Talapady has been asked to provide mid-day meals for 13 children of tent school and make arrangement for the books.”