5,007 girl students get attendance scholarship

Many term Rs 2 per day scheme unscientific, suggest alternative

A total of 5,007 girl students of Dakshina Kannada, studying in Class one will get the attendance based scholarship for the year 2014-15.

Under the scheme, which was implemented by the State government through Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) to increase attendance in government schools, the child will get Rs 2 for each day’s attendance for 72 days.

According to the information available, most number of beneficiaries will be from Bantwala education block with 1,127 students, followed by Puttur (1,060), Belthangady (1,030), Sullia (546), Mangaluru South (487), Mangaluru North (462) and Moodbidri with 295 students. 

The beneficiaries include 716 from SC, 316 from ST, 1,733 from minority and 2,242 from other categories. The indent has been sent, and the government is expected to release fund within March. 

The scheme was launched by CM Siddaramaiah government last year after serious concerns expressed by the State High Court about the increasing out of school children in State. The government had released Rs 4,42,66,752 crore for the scheme. Out of which Rs 4,30,55,294 crore was spent, showing a balance of Rs 12,11,458 lakh. 

Mystery of zero balance 

The scheme looks unscientific for many reasons. Last year out of 34 districts, few districts including Yadagiri (Rs 1,32,048), Mysuru (Rs 1,90,982), Chitradurga (Rs 39,246), Shivamogga (Rs 31,949), Koppal (Rs 39,168) and Belagavi (Rs 29,901) have showed huge savings. Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts saved Rs 1,440 and Rs 10,446 respectively.

Interestingly, 14 districts- Bengaluru South, Ramanagar, Bengaluru North, Davanagere, Kolar, Chamarajanagar, Chikkamagalur, Kalaburagi, Bidar, Raichur, Haveri, Sirsi, Uttara Kannada and Gadag have showed zero balance. Which  means all girl students were present on all 72 days (received Rs 144) or teachers didn’t consider the absence of the students.  

If they don’t consider the absence, the basic objective behind the scheme itself gets failed. Moreover, the government receives the indent from districts at the end of the year and the beneficiary students will get the money when they reach Class 2. 

Speaking to Deccan Herald, Cluster Resource Person (CRP) Seenappa opined that parents won’t send their children for money. Most of the times, the money is used by the parents and children don’t find much benefit out of it. 

To increase the attendance, the government can give drawing instruments or books for the students who attend most number of classes, he said.