Dropout survey in Jalpaiguri

Administrative sources said the

survey would start soon after schools reopened in the state on November 16 and continue till December

TT  | Correspondent   |   Jalpaiguri   |  05.11.21: The district administration of Jalpaiguri has decided to conduct a comprehensive survey to find out the number of school dropouts in the district and draw up a plan to bring back those students after resolving their problems.

Administrative sources said the survey would start soon after schools reopened in the state on November 16 and continue till December.

“Students are away from schools for almost 20 months now and there is an apprehension that a section of them has stopped their studies and have dropped out because of various reasons. That is why the survey has been planned,” said Moumita Godara Basu, the district magistrate of Jalpaiguri.

“Once the schools reopen, we will check out how many students from Classes IX to XII are not attending classes. We will reach out to them to find out what is stopping them from continuing their education and will take all efforts to bring them back to schools.”

Sources said as primary and upper primary classes (I to VIII) were yet to resume, it has been decided to engage child protection units that function in villages and municipal wards of towns, along with ASHA workers and others to conduct the door-to-door survey.

“Though students studying in secondary and higher secondary classes are more susceptible to this dropout trend to earn for their families, those in the lower classes are also vulnerable,” said Dinabandhu Saha, the district social welfare officer of Jalpaiguri.

He said once the survey was completed by December, they would collate the data and prepare a vulnerability map of the district, identifying areas where the concentration of dropouts was more.

In Jalpaiguri, there are reports that many students from sick tea estates have stopped studying during the pandemic and are earning for their families. “It is a challenge for us to bring them back to schools,” said an official.

After the survey and the mapping, the administration will pick up each dropout case and approach him or her. “The idea is to try and resolve the problem, which they are facing so that they resume their studies,” said Saha.

In Jalpaiguri, the administration has found 114 such children below eight years of age who have lost either or both of their parents during the pandemic.

“These children are staying with their relatives. We are regularly monitoring them and once schools open for primary and upper primary classes, we will ensure that all of them attend their classes and continue their education,” said Sudip Bhadra, an official of the district child protection unit.