When the schools reopen on May 29, more than 5,500 girl students enrolling into Class I here can look forward to getting Rs. 2 per day of attendance clocked at government schools.
While just around Rs. 8 lakh has been released by the State government to distribute to the students for their attendance since January 1 till April 10 – or, around 72 working days – the scheme will be in full implementation from the next academic year.
Out of 15,114 girls studying in Class I across the district, a total of 5,586 students – including 780 in Scheduled Caste and 369 in the Scheduled Tribe category – in 932 government primary schools will be given the incentive, said the DDPI.
For the upcoming financial year, Rs. 22.34 lakh will be needed for the incentive for increased attendance, said an official in the department. For each of the nearly 200 days of the academic year, the students will be given Rs. 2, added the official.
“The money will be given in bulk to the girls as and when the money is released to us. This way, the child will get a lumpsum that should keep her interested in academics or aid in buying notebooks or school bags,” said Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan Project Coordinator N. Shivprakash.
The district ranks among the best in the State in terms of drop-out rate – at just 0.58 per cent of the student population of 31,231. There are 566 girls who have either dropped out of school, or never enrolled into one (17 in the district) or displayed rampant absenteeism, noted a survey done by the SSA in November 2013. Similarly, the average attendance rate has increased from 94.95 per cent in 2001-02 to 99.26 per cent in 2013-14.
With figures inching towards 100 per cent, what gains does the Education Department see in the incentive scheme?
“The scheme will have much more benefits in other districts, but here, we can use the scheme in further increasing our attendance rate or getting students to government schools,” Mr. Shivprakash answered. He added that the incentive may also, in a small way, counter “sent to housework” as an excuse for girl absenteeism or drop-out.
