Survey to identify school dropouts in Nilgiris begins today

Udhagamandalam: The education department is all set to take out a survey on Tuesday to identify school dropouts and bring them back to schools.
Nazarudheen, chief education officer, said the survey, which would conclude on August 31, would be founded on the Right to Education Act, 2009, which facilitates free and compulsory education for children aged between six and 14 years.
Headed by the chief education officer, the survey team comprises trainee teachers, education district coordinators, district coordinators, school headmasters/headmistresses, schoolteachers and special teachers, among others.
They would identify and collect data of school dropouts, guest workers’ children, disabled kids and children who have lost their parent/parents to Covid-19. “After that, they will be admitted to classes in government schools based on their age,” Nazarudheen said.
The team would cover 1,578 residential areas in the district. A session was held at Ooty on August 4 to discuss the door-to-door survey, which would mainly focus on tea estates, industrial areas, tribal hamlets and construction sites.
“The survey will also help collect the data of children who have lost their parent/parents to Covid-19,” Nazarudheen said.
Public could, meanwhile, inform the officials about school dropouts at 9788858996 (Ooty), 8903960379 (Coonoor), 9788858998 (Kotagiri) and 9788858999 (Gudalur).