Fayaz Bukhari
SRINAGAR, Oct 24: The Centre’s flagship programme of universalizing the elementary education through Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) has miserably failed in Jammu. Instead of increasing the enrolment of children in schools, the faulty implementation of the SSA has led to decrease in enrolments and increase in school drop outs.
The Comptroller and Auditor General’s report for Jammu district paints bleak picture of the SSA. The report says impact of the SSA was dismal in the district as the enrolment of children in the age group of 6 to 14 years in the schools had decreased.
The SSA was launched to ensure that all children complete 5 years of primary schooling by 2007 and 8 years of elementary schooling by 2010.
The CAG report says that despite spending huge amounts of money through various Centrally Sponsored Schemes (CSSs) to retain children in schools, huge drop out rate ranging upto 36 percent has been noticed.
The Gandhi Nagar Zone in Jammu has noticed the huge drop out rate of 36 percent. According to the figures of the SSA around 4,000 children have dropped out of the Primary and upper Primary level schools over the years in the zone.
The records suggest that during 2006-07 and 2009-10, 10586 children were enrolled in the Primary and upper Primary level schools of Gandhi Nagar Zone while between 2007-06 to 2010-11, the enrollment had come down to 6730 children with 3856 children dropping out of the schools.
Similarly during the same period in Jammu zone, out of 7005 enrolments 285 dropped; in Akhnoor Zone out of 4132 enrolled children 726 dropped; in Bilwal zone, out of 6926 enrolled children, 1679 dropped; in R S Pora Zone, out of 4839 enrolled children 450 dropped; in Marh Zone, out of 3160 enrolled children, 213 dropped; in Dansal zone, out of 8147 enrolled children, 1280 dropped out; and in Jourian zone, out of 3685 enrolled children, 396 dropped out.
The CAG report says that department failed to create congenial atmosphere with adequate infrastructure in schools to hook children so that drop out rate could have been brought bare minimum.
The report attributes the drop out rate to non-utilization of funds allotted to the ZEOs which prevented it from creation of adequate infrastructure, provision of amenities and improper implementation of the mid day meal programme which could have allured students.
The CAG has found no Prospective Plan formed by the Chief Education Officer of the district. The PP is prepared through household survey, baseline studies and micro-planning exercise. It is on the basis of the PP that annual works plan and budget for each year is formulated.
It may be mentioned here that the HRD ministry has fixed 100 percent retention target in schools across the country and it is to be achieved by 2020.
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