Gujarat launches Samras Vidya Setu movement to bring 80,000 dropouts back to classes
AHMEDABAD: The Gujarat government on Wednesday launched a state-wide drive to bring over 80,000 out-of-school children back to classrooms, Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel said as the initiative aims to achieve “zero dropout” and ensure that no child is left behind in the education system.Patel, who launched the ‘Samras Vidya Setu’ mega movement in Ahmedabad, said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the dropout rate in Gujarat has come down to 2 per cent and over 80,000 out-of-school children have now been identified in the state.The government plans to re-admit them to age-appropriate classes from standards 1 to 12 and provide academic support to help them bridge learning gaps.Patel said that Gujarat has prepared lists of children who have dropped out of school in various school districts, and teachers, local public representatives and community leaders will jointly contact parents to encourage them to send their children back to school.“Each child will be admitted to the appropriate class based on age, while special academic support and transitional learning arrangements are provided for children who are falling behind,” he said.Highlighting the need for collaboration between schools and families, Patel said that Gujarat has emerged as one of the country’s leading business and employment destinations and quality education is crucial for young people to benefit from these opportunities.He urged parents to ensure regular enrollment and said the goal of “zero dropout” can only be achieved through the joint efforts of the government, parents, teachers and society.Patel also emphasized the role of teachers in preventing students from dropping out, saying they monitor attendance closely and follow up personally when necessary.“If a child misses two days in a row, the teacher will go to the child’s home to find out the reason for the absence,” he said.The chief minister said the improvement in the quality of education in public and municipal schools has encouraged many families to transfer their children from private schools to public schools.Congratulating teachers and education department staff for their efforts, he said strengthening the education system will help the youth of Gujarat benefit from growing business and investment opportunities while contributing to the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047.Education Minister Dr Pradyuman Vaja described the campaign as “not just a government programme, but a people’s movement to ensure the right to education for every child”.“The state government has taken several measures to improve the quality of education, including parochial schools of excellence, smart classrooms, modern education infrastructure and student-centric programmes, which have enhanced public confidence in public schools,” he said.Talking about the National Education Policy 2020, Waha said: “The campaign focuses on identifying out-of-school children, re-enrolling them, maintaining regular contact with parents, conducting home visits, providing guidance and organizing bridging courses to help them return to mainstream education.”He said the success of the event will depend on the active participation of teachers, school management committees, district and taluka administrations, cluster resource center (CRC) and block resource center (BRC) coordinators, voluntary organizations, community leaders, public representatives and local communities.“School districts, teachers and school management committees who have performed well during the event will be recognized on Teachers’ Day,” he added.Minister of State for Education Rivaba Jadeja said the government launched the initiative with the promise that “not a single child in Gujarat will be deprived of education”.She said public representatives, voluntary organizations, citizens and all sectors of society must contribute to the success of the event.“The Shala Praveshotsav and Kanya Kelavani initiatives launched by Narendra Modi during his tenure as chief minister of Gujarat transformed the education sector in the state,” she said.She said the government was using mechanisms such as early tracking systems, child monitoring systems, transitional courses, cram schools and boarding schools to bring children who had dropped out of school back into the education system.She also called for collective efforts to promote girls’ education and ensure quality, values and skills-based learning. Principal Secretary (Education) Milind Torawane delivered the welcome address and outlined the program of the event.During the program, the chief minister lauded teachers for their efforts in re-admitting school dropouts and praised organizations that provide teaching materials and other academic support to government school students.
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