Out of school children : Questions asked by MPs

PERFORMANCE OF SARVA SHIKSHA ABHIYAN

MP. SHRI K. JAYASURYA PRAKASH REDDY
DUSHYANT SINGH
BHARTRUHARI MAHTAB

Will the Minister of HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state:-

(a) whether the performance of Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan has been unsatisfactory;

(b) if so, the steps taken to achieve universal elementary edtication to all by 2010; and

(c) the details of the action to monitor impiementation of Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan?

ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT (SHRI M.A.A. FATMI)

(a) & (b): The Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan has made steady progress in enhancing enrolment and in reducing the number of children who are out of school in the 6-14 years age group. The Gross Enrolment Ratio at elementary level has risen from 81.60 % in 2001 to 93.54 % in 2004 and the out of school children have reduced from 4.4. crorc in 2001 to 75 lakh in 2006.

(c): A rigorous system of monitoring of the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan has been put in place which includes, inter alia, monthly and quarterly progress reports and review meetings, furnishing of annual elementary school statistics, field monitoring by 40 independent monitoring institutions, six monthly independent Review Missions and concurrent financial reviews.

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REPORT OF NON GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATION PRATHAM ON EDUCATION

MP. SHRI RAJAGOPAL LAGADAPATI
JAI PARKASH
IQBAL AHMED SARADGI

Will the Minister of HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state:-

(a) whether the dropout rate in schools between 6 to 14 years has come down from 5.9 percent in 2005 to 4,1 percent in 2006 as per the report of Non- Govemmental Organization (NGO) `Pratham`;

(b) if so, the details thereof;

(c) the salient features of the said report;

(d) the reasons for reduction in the dropout rate in the States particularly in Andhra Pradesh, State and Union Territory- wise; and

(e) the steps taken by the Government to remove the shortcomings brought out by the said NGO in its report?

ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE 1H THE MINISTRY OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT(SHRIM.A.A.FATMI)

(a),(b),(c)&(d) Annual Status of Education Report (Rural) 2006 facilitated by Pratham, an NGO does not provide the data for drop out rates but on out of school children and level of students iearning.However, as per the data available with the Ministry, dropout rates in Classes I-V (age group 6-11 years) has come down from 31.5% in 2003-04 to 29.0% in 2004-05, In Andhra Pradesh, the drop-out rate in Classes I-V has come down from 42.6% in 2003-04 to 31.9% in 2004-05. During 2004-05, drop-out rates for Classes I-V, was less than the national average in 10 States and 7 UTs,

(e) A multi-pronged approach has been adopted under SSA for reducing out of school children, enhance retention & improve quality of learning of students through interalia, strengthening of schools through school infrastructure, recruitment of additional teachers, providing annual schooi grants, regular training of teachers, academic support to teachers and schools etc. In addition, several interventions under SSA aim at community support;, flexible schooling for children who are dropouts, older children or children in difficult circumstances, and special provisions to promote education of girls, children from disadvantaged sections of society or children with special needs.

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CHILDREN OUT OF SCHOOL

MP : SHRI KAILASH NATH SINGH YADAV
BRAJA KISHORE TRIPATHY

Will the Minister of HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state:-

(a) the State-wise details of the children of the age group 6- 13 years, who either do not go to school or got dropped out from school during the last three years;

(b) whether the findings in the survey conducted by IMRB-SRI of school going children on these issues as reported in The Times of India dated September 08, 2006 have come to the notice of the Government;

(c) if so, whether the findings of IMRB-SRI are in consonance with the details available with the Government;

(d) if so, whether the Government policy has not been able to enhance the enrolment of children in school in the age group of 6 to 14 years and to reduce the drop out rate; and

(e) if so, the reasons therefor and the corrective action proposed in this regard?

ANSWER

MINISTER OF THE STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT (SHRI ARJUN SINGH)

(a) to (e): A statement is laid on the Table of the House.

STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 85 FOR 28TH NOVEMBER, 2006 BY SHRI KAILASH NATH SINGH YADAV AND SHRI BRAJA KISHORE TRIPATHY REGARDING CHILDREN OUT OF SCHOOL

(a) to (e): An independent survey commissioned by the Government of India and conducted by SRI-IMRB reported an estimated 1.34 crore children in the age group 6-14 years to be out of school in July – August 2005.

States and UTs conduct their own assessment of number of out- of-school children through household surveys and updation of local records every year, on the basis of which, on 31st March, 2006 the number of out-of-school children was reported to be 70.56 lakhs.

A statement showing State-wise breakup of never enrolled and dropout children who are out-of-school as per the SRI-IMRB National Survey, 2005 and updated figures provided by States/UTs as on 31 March 2006, are given at annexure.

The annual Government of India budget allocation for SSA has been enhanced to Rs. 11000 crores in 2006-07 and within that a closer targeting of districts with the most out of school children has been ensured.

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CHILDREN KEEPING AWAY FROM SCHOOLS

MP : SHRI HEMLAL MURMU / RAJIV RANJAN (LALAN) SINGH
RAMJI LAL SUMAN / CHINTA MOHAN

Will the Minister of HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state:-

(a) whether as per the survey conducted by the Government seven per cent children between the age group of 6-13 years do not go to schools;

(b) if so, the details and facts thereof;

(c) whether the attention of the Government has been drawn to the news item captioned ‘Sava Karor Bachche Ab Tak School Se Door” appeared in Dainik Jagran dated January 29, 2006;

(d) if so, the reaction of the Government thereto;

(e) the names of the States where the said children are not going to schools;

(f) the percentage of children in the States who are not going to schools; and

(g) the amount allocated to these States under Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan by the Union Government during the year 2004-05 and 2005-06?

ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT (SHRIMATI D. PURANDESWARI)

(a)-(g) According to an independent survey commissioned by the Ministry of Human Resource Development in July- October, 2005, 6.94% children in the age group of 6-13 years were estimated to be out of school. State-wise details are indicated at column 3 and 4 in the Annexe.

Government of India has shared the details of the report with the State Governments/ Union Territory Administrations to take cognisance of the findings of the report while drawing up their Annual Work Plan & Budget for Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan for the year 2006-07. The funds made available to State/ Union Territory in 2004-05 and in 2005-06 upto 10.2.2006, are given at columns 5 and 6 of Annexe.

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