Massive drive on to bring OOS kids back to school

The Karnataka State Commission for Protection of Child Rights has started a public campaign 'Shaale Kade Nanna Nade' (walk towards my school) to bring out of school kids back to schools.

In the consultation meeting held recently, of members of the commission, an official from the education department and experts from the field, it has decided to conduct preparatory meetings at the district level on May 21.

The programme will officially be launched at the district level on May 27 and at the taluk and cluster level on May 28. It has been decided to take measures to bring out-of-school children back to the school on May 29, when school reopens for the 2019-20 academic year.

Teachers and officials at the cluster level have been directed to visit every home in their jurisdiction and verify the list of out-of-school children and bring them back to school.

"The children identified during door-to-door verification should be admitted directly to the class according to their age," said Dr VP Niranjanaradhya, an academician who was part of the consultation.

Taking part in the event, chief secretary T M Vijay Bhaskar directed the state department of public instruction to take necessary measures to bring out of school children back to school. "There are thousands of kids who migrated to Karnataka from other states and they are out of school. The officials must take measures to provide them education," said Bhaskar.

Speaking at the event, Dr M T Reju, commissioner for public instruction, said of the 70,000 children identified as out of school through the department survey, 28,000 have been already brought back to the mainstream.