Literacy good, but dropout rate needs to be tackled

TEAM HERALD
teamherald@herald-goa.com
PANJIM: Despite Goa attaining 87.40 per cent literacy, the educational system is dogged with children dropping out of school at various levels and facing issues pertaining to unemployment even as it has met the growing demand of education at the secondary and higher-secondary level.
In the Economic Survey 2013-14 released during the budget session, realizing this government proposed to reinforce its education policy with the target to bridging regional and gender gaps, reducing drop-out rate, emphasizing on skill development and vocational programmes and curbing unemployment.
While reiterating its commitment towards all its schemes under the education sector, the government has reiterated the need for 237 working days for primary, secondary and higher secondary and not less than 200 instructional days. Likewise, teachers attaining the age of retirement on or after August 1 are given extension upto April 30 of the academic year. All this has been done to ensure smooth conduct of academic schedules, completion of syllabus and implementation of schemes.
Besides the existing schemes already in force, the government disclosed plans to provide Wifi connectivity and surveillance project on a pilot basis for efficient usage of tablets and laptops given under the Cyberage scheme.
The economic survey discloses that a team has been constituted from the department of education and information technology for conducting feasibility study of the project. Surveillance systems are also proposed to be set up for monitoring the school premises thereby increasing the security of students.
Under the mid-day meal scheme meals which prescribes 450 calories and 12 grams proteins for primary students and 700 calories and 20 grams proteins for upper primary students in approximately 1532 schools, about 1,63,000 students in the State are being provided.
The government disclosed that uniforms have been supplied to 14,840 students of Class I and III in government schools and 35,436 from I and III supplied with raincoats, 31,633 students of II, III IV in government and government aided were supplied with notebooks.
Likewise, 100 schools were provided buses under Bal Rath scheme where the government has spent Rs 20 crore and is providing Rs 3 lakh grant to the aided school per bus per year and the KTC for running these buses. A total of 3,017 girl students have also benefited from primary, secondary and higher secondary schools under cash incentives for purchase of uniforms, text books and furniture. Likewise under incentive for girl students belonging to SCs/STs for secondary education, 762 eligible girl students from 132 schools have benefited up to December 2013.