In a unique and noble endeavour the state government has embarked upon a new scheme ‘Earn With Learn’ which will ensure financial assistance to students who would help the dropouts get back to studies. The scheme has been launched as part of ‘Vidyalaya Chalo Abhiyan’ said, Education minister Ratanlal Nath.
In a press conference the minister has said, third-year college students will be engaged in carrying out door to door survey to identify the dropouts and encourage them to return to school. A student who will successfully bring a dropout will get Rs 500 for each of the dropout as an honorarium.
“The engagement of the third year college students will be voluntary. And we shall require about 10,000 volunteers”, Nath said. The interested students will register their names in their respective college to carry out the survey and help the dropouts in their readmission.
The college students would be assisted by Anganwadi and ASHA workers. In case of engagement of teachers in the survey, honorarium of Rs. 200 would be provided, he added.
There are about 8,850 dropout school students in 6-14 years age groups who left studies following the Covid pandemic.
“For identification of dropout students and re-admission in school, the state government will offer honorarium of Rs. 500 per admission,” Nath has said.
Speaking to the media, the Education minister said that school bags would be provided to all students from pre-primary to Class-III.
“There are 1,51,719 students in pre-primary to Class-III. The expenditure for providing school bags to them will stand Rs. 7,58,59,500,” Nath said.
The Education minister has pointed out that the state government is already providing free textbooks to Class-I to VIII students at an expenditure of Rs. 13.36 crore.
The state government is providing Rs. 600 to SC, ST and BPL category students (boys) and all girl students from Class I to VIII for school uniform and the annual expenditure of the government for this purpose is Rs. 9.5 crore.
Also to give a fillip to the implementation of National Education Policy, the state government has taken up a pilot project at Aspirational district- Dhalai where along with the mid-day-meal, the students of Class- I to VIII would be provided additional foods like boiled egg, fruits, milk etc.. He also said, now photos of school teachers would be displayed in the classrooms.
