Delhi: Survey Finds 11,000 Children Between 6 And 14 Aren’t In School

A survey under the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) has identified 11,306 out-of-school children between the ages of 6 and 14 in the capital. ‘Out-of-school children’ are understood as those who have either dropped out of school or were never enrolled in one.

According to the latest U-DISE statistics from 2016-17, the number of children enrolled in school education in Delhi between classes I and VIII was 26,19,409. Children in the 6-14 age group are typically enrolled in these classes, which come under the umbrella of the Right To Education Act.

The data was collected between December 28, 2018 and January 15, 2019 by a team of Cluster Resource Coordinators and Special Training Centre teachers.

According to an official working with the SSA in Delhi, teachers visited various neighbourhoods and collated data by speaking to parents, pradhans and resident welfare associations.

The data collated by them shows that the total number of out-of-school children in the age category 6-10 is 8,404, and in the category 11-14 is 2,902.

In both age categories, the number of boys identified as being out of school is higher than girls, with the total number standing at 6,270 boys and 5,036 girls.

The data was collected between December 28, 2018 and January 15, 2019 by a team of Cluster Resource Coordinators and Special Training Centre teachers.

According to an official working with the SSA in Delhi, teachers visited various neighbourhoods and collated data by speaking to parents, pradhans and resident welfare associations.

The data collated by them shows that the total number of out-of-school children in the age category 6-10 is 8,404, and in the category 11-14 is 2,902.

In both age categories, the number of boys identified as being out of school is higher than girls, with the total number standing at 6,270 boys and 5,036 girls.

However, Dr Wilima Wadhwa, director ASER, said that in order to target beneficiaries, a census would have been necessary to obtain absolute numbers of children outside the system.

(Source: IndianExpress Education)