The survey of children not enrolled in schools in the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) limits is a litany of glaring and embarrassing errors. For instance, the same mobile number has been given as a reference for 717 children. The parents’ names for 2,330 children are mentioned as ‘Lokesh’ and ‘Sheela’. And as many as 731 children in the survey are above the age limit.
These are just a few of the irregularities in the list of Out-of-School Children (OOSC) in BBMP areas unearthed by the Samagra Shikshana Karnataka (SSK) which handles all programmes pertaining to school education in the State. The survey was conducted by the Rural Development and Panchayat Raj and the Urban Development departments.
Some of the irregularities have left the SSK members befuddled. According to the survey, 1,428 children from a single school in Bengaluru North have dropped out. However, upon verification, it has come to light that these students have not left the school. Addresses and PIN codes provided in the contact details for about 100 children are inadequate. There were also differences in the age and corresponding classes of 155 children who dropped out of school. The children were older than the average age of their peers in that grade.
The State Project Director of the SSK had written to the BBMP last year listing out the discrepancies in the survey. Last week, the Additional Chief Secretary-cum-Development Commissioner convened a meeting to discuss these irregularities and directed departments to take corrective action.
An official of the Department of Primary and Secondary Education pointed out that due to these irregularities it has been difficult for them to track these students and bring them to schools. “But before we do anything, the BBMP needs to verify and correct all the irregularities in the survey,” the official added.
R. Vishal, Commissioner for Public Instruction, said it was decided that all the data would be validated. Children who have dropped out would be mapped and brought back to school, he said.
The survey found that as many as 34,411 children in the age group of six to 18 are out of school in Karnataka.
