Lack of toilets in girls’ schools increasing dropout rates, says MHRD
Srinagar: The Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) has stated that lack of toilets in girl’s educational institutions was a reason for increasing dropout rate at the upper primary levels.
In a meeting convened with the school education department, MHRD has asked the deputy commissioner Kupwara and Baraamulla to ensure that all girls’ and co-education schools should have adequate number of girls’ toilets.
The union ministry has stated that availability of toilets is critical for maintaining good health of the children.
“Non-availability of girls’ toilets in schools severely impacts drop-out of girls specially at higher level,” MHRD has said while convening a meeting for aspirational districts of the J&K state.
The two districts-Baramulla and Kupwara in north Kashmir have been selected for the aspirational districts programme of NITI Aayog launched by Prime Minister of India (PMO) in January 2018.
“Funds are available for construction and maintenance of toilets under Swachh Bharat as well as with the ministry of Panchayati Raj,” the MHRD has said.
The district administration has been asked to ensure availability of adequate number of girls’ toilets in the schools through convergence of funds.
The union ministry also suggested the department to ensure 100 percent transaction of school children from primary to upper primary schools in these two districts.
“There may be major dropouts at upper primary level due to reasons such as upper primary school being in a different location which causes inconveniences for parents to identify an upper primary school and take fresh admission,” the MHRD has said.
The concerned deputy commissioners and chief education officers have been asked to ensure automatic admission of all class 5th students in an upper primary school.
“The department should instruct the teachers to identify the upper primary school where every class 5th students will be automatically admitted into class 6th and inform the parents about the school as well,” the meeting was told.
These initiatives have been taken to control the rate of school dropouts in these two aspirational districts.
“The department should keenly supervise the transition of the students and prepare a list of students who have passed out of class 5th and have not joined in class 6th,” MHRD has said.
KV Correspondent
