As many as 11,968 out-of-school children aged below 18 years have been identified in Guntur district after a survey was conducted by the education department. Out of them, 5,223 are below 14. Over 650 cluster resource persons and part-time instructors conducted the door-to-door survey in the month of April amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to the department, many children help their parents in farming and drop out from schools. Along with the survey they also created awareness among the parents of such children on the importance of education and encouraged them to send their children at schools. As a result, around 8,631 students got admitted to the schools this year. Out of which 3,495 children sought admissions to seasonal hostels, 1,524 to non-residential schools, 1,683 to madrasas, and 77 to residential schools. They were given admission to institutions of their preference depending on the vacancies, transport facilities. 

Along with this, special attention also should be paid to those students who are irregular to school and should enquire the reasons and rectify them, she added.