In collaboration with the Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Department and the Department of School Education and Literacy (DSEL), the Government of Karnataka will be carrying out door-to-door surveys to track out-of-school children between the ages of six to 18 years.
This step comes after a directive to do the same was issued by the Karnataka High Court.
Using a mobile app, women from self-help groups (SHGs) will carry out the survey and they will be appointed as numerators for the same.
“The Directorate of Electronic Delivery of Citizen Services (EDCS)has developed a mobile application that will survey students who are not in the mainstream,” read the circular from the RDPR department, as stated in a report by The New Indian Express.
Two SSLC (Secondary School Leaving Certificate) -qualified women will be selected from every SHGs, as directed by the gram panchayats. Two women will survey 300 households in the village.
During 2022-2023 a total of 18,461 children had dropped out of school as per 2022-2023 DSEL data from December last year. Karnataka stands at the seventh position as far as dropouts go.
Nagasmiha Rao, Director, Child Rights Trust (CRT) "This joint initiative is a significant step towards ensuring every child's right to education. To further enhance the impact, it's essential to involve NGOs working in schools, youth groups, and other stakeholders. Additionally, a comprehensive plan to prevent school dropouts, by addressing the root causes and providing supportive measures, will help to sustain the progress and create a lasting difference in the lives of young people.”
