Despite several schemes initiated by the State Government to allure children to State-run schools, the students’ enrolment continues to decline.
The number of students between the age group 6-14 years, who did not go for admission, was 1,86,838 during 2009-10. It was reduced by 19,591 during 2012-13, by 6,001 in 2013-14 and 5,152 in 2014-15 while it recorded a rise of 9,368 during the year 2015-16.
According to sources, the situation is worse in minerals-rich Keonjhar district, where 3,987 children did not attend a school during 2015-16. Official data reveal that a total 1,521 children did not enrol in the primary schools during 2011-12 in the district while 87 students stayed away in 2014-15.
Similarly, 1,213 children did not go to schools in 2015-16 in tribals-dominated Mayurbhanj district while the number was 695 in Koraput, 651 in Rayagada and 375 in Sundargarh district.
Shockingly, 294 children stayed away from the schools in the relatively developed Cuttack district.
While none of the children was found away from the schools in Kendrapada and Bhadrak districts, only four did not come to schools in Jajpur last year. The number was 30 in Jagatsinghpur and 130 in Khordha district, said officials.
Notably, the Government is providing free admission opportunity, schoolbags, textbooks, uniforms and midday meals to encourage children to get enrolled in the State-run schools. Even, there is provision of stipend for the ST/SC students.
The Shiksha Sahayaks under the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan have been given the responsibility to persuade the reluctant children to come to schools and convince their parents to send them to schools.
The decline in the enrolment has also forced the Government to close down a number of schools due to lack of adequate number of students.
However, privately-run schools like Saraswati Vidya Mandirs and others have been witnessing a steady rise in enrolment even in rural areas.