UP govt launches programme to enrol out-of-school kids

Time of India

14 hours ago

Prayagraj: In a bid to ensure that no child is left behind in education, the Uttar Pradesh govt has launched an ambitious programme to identify and enrol out-of-school and dropout children aged between 6 and 14 years into age-appropriate classes.
The initiative, spearheaded under the Sharda Programme, will offer special training to help these children catch up with their peers.
School education director general Kanchan Verma has directed that the training of these children will commence on Aug 1 and continue until March 31, 2026. To make this mission effective, volunteers will be appointed to motivate children and reignite their interest in learning. Special training will be offered in areas where more than five out-of-school children are identified.
Retired teachers or qualified volunteers will be selected as special instructors, and in their absence, nodal teachers from the local schools will conduct the training.
According to basic shiksha adhikari (BSA) Devbrat Singh, children enrolled at these special centres will receive the same facilities as regular students. A temporary selection process will be carried out for instructors, and a district-level advertisement will be issued to invite applications.
by Taboola
by Taboola
Sponsored Links
Sponsored Links
Promoted Links
Promoted Links
You May Like
If you have a mouse, play this game for 1 minute
Navy Quest
Undo
Applicants must be residents of the same panchayat where the school is located and should be aged between 21 and 45 years.
The selection will be merit-based, calculated through the average percentage of marks obtained in High School, Intermediate, Graduation and relevant teaching qualifications like DElEd, BTC or BEd. In the absence of professionally trained candidates, the merit will be prepared based on the academic marks alone.
Retired teachers will be given preference. Selected volunteers will receive an honorarium of Rs 4,000 per month.
A four-member subcommittee, comprising the school management committee's president, vice president, member secretary (headmaster-in-charge), and a parent member, will oversee the selection process. The selection process is to be completed before July 31.
As many as 68,913 out-of-school children have been identified across UP.
In Prayagraj alone, the number stands at 1,263 while in Pratapgarh it is 448, Amethi 333, and in the state capital Lucknow, 742 children will receive special training.
The total number of special training centres in the state is 22,044, with Prayagraj hosting 411 of them. Nearby districts like Pratapgarh and Kaushambi will have 208 and 224 centres respectively.
The basic education department has instructed that volunteer recruitment advertisements be displayed at panchayat buildings, secretariats, schools and other public spaces. This outreach aims to ensure community participation in bringing every child back to school and shaping a literate and empowered future.