Nishant Saxena
With an aim to reintegrate school dropouts, the Uttar Pradesh government is working towards providing specialised training to such students upon their return to school.
The aim of this training is to bridge the knowledge gap between the approximately 2.85 lakh out-of-school children and their peers in age-appropriate classes, offering them the necessary support during the upcoming academic session of 2023-24.
Under the provisions of the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act-2009, as well as the state government’s regulations, out-of-school and dropout children between the ages of 6 and 14 are eligible for special training. This provision is being executed through the Sharda program, which identifies out-of-school children during the 2022-23 academic year and enrols them in age-appropriate classes while providing special training during the academic session of 2023-24.
To implement this program effectively, the Director General, School Education, Vijay Kiran Anand, has issued directives to initiate the special training program for identified out-of-school children under the Sharda program, commencing on July 1. The program will offer nine months of training, with the possibility of extending the duration if students require additional time to reach the expected learning level for their respective class.
Each school has assigned a nodal teacher, appointed by the Block Education Officer, who will be responsible for providing special training to out-of-school children. Regular assessments will be conducted quarterly throughout the training period to monitor students’ progress and ensure they achieve the appropriate educational level for their age group.
Based on the assessment results of the initial evaluation of out-of-school children, the nodal teacher will develop a customised teaching plan tailored to each student’s needs, aiming to bring them up to the expected level for their respective class.
Quarterly assessments will be conducted during the special training period, and all the tasks and worksheets completed by the children at the training centres will be documented in their individual folders or profiles.
To assist nodal teachers in conducting the special training, special educators will monitor schools assigned to Nyaya Panchayats.
Regular inspections of the special training centres will be carried out by the Divisional Assistant Director of Education (Basic), District Basic Education Officer, and Block Education Officer. Furthermore, the school principal will actively engage in regular meetings with the guardians and parents of the children participating in the special training program.
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