Edu staff to conduct out-of-school-children survey in April, May

CHENNAI: To trace out-of-school-children (OoSC) between the ages of 6 to 18 years, the School Education Department (SED) has directed all districts to conduct a survey in April and May.

The identified students will be admitted at age-appropriate class and for the same the department has released guidelines for staff to follow while surveying.

Every year, SED conducts a special survey to identify OoSC, including children of guest workers and differently-abled children. Subsequently, these children are enrolled in classes for the new academic year. Hence as part of which, the department has directed staff to hold the survey for two weeks in April and in the last two week of May.

The circular by the department stated that under the respective district chief education officer (CEO), the survey should be carried out by school heads, teachers, anganwadi staff, education volunteers, special instructors, school management committee (SMC) members and NGOs.

Subsequently, before starting the survey, the registered data with the rural development department, including that found through GIS mapping should be procured and authorised. Same to be followed while surveying in cities.

Further, door-to-door surveys should be conducted to trace OoSC below 18 years. The department has directed the survey staff to thoroughly check payment dwellers, homeless people living at bus stands, railway stations and other public places.

In case of children of guest workers, other department staff have been directed to trace OoSC at industrial locations, construction sites, brick kilns manufacturing sites, sand quarrying industries and agriculture sites among other locations. For this, the officials from child labour department, Directorate of Industrial Safety and Health (DISH), Child Line, District Child Protection Unit (DCPU) and the police department should conduct the survey, added the circular.

For teachers involved in the work have been instructed to hold the survey without comprising the teaching hours.

On the other hand, to avoid dropouts of students already enrolled, SED had instructed school principals to prioritise class transition activities (transition of students from current class to next class).