Number of ‘Drop Out’ Students in Assam’s Karbi Anglong District on The Rise

All is not well in the Government of India sponsored ‘Sarba Siksha Mission.’ The project has virtually painted a fictional picture regarding its success story of enrollment of ‘Drop Out’ students in remote areas of Assam’s Karbi Anglong district.

The rosy portrait painted by the district authority of the SSA was established to be erroneous as reported by Miss Rita Kramsapi, a scholar of Tata Institute of Social Science. The data were revealed after Ms. Kramsapi conducted a thorough research in the western part of the district recently.

“SSA officials of Karbi Anglong on the basis of their official records claims that only 20 drop out students were enrolled for studies in entire Rongkhang development block area but in actuality more than two thousands of drop out students are there who have not been touched by SSA for enrollment,” Rita Kramsapi informed the press on last Monday.

She reports that there 50 drop out children in villages like Langtha, Prilo, Sanbirik, Englang-erpi, Langhut, Amlet under Rongkhang development block. Maximum numbers of parents of these children are poor and live below property line.

“The incredible reality of the schools of these areas is that, school children are not provided with mid day meal or drinking water. Road communication with the schools is very poor, children coming from BPL families must be brought within the ambit of education urgently,” Miss Kramsapi maintained.

True colour of the rural education of Karbi Anglong will be brought to the notice of the Director of Elementary Education of Assam, so that appropriate step can be taken in this regard.

The young scholar emphasized the necessity of creating awareness among mass people on the necessity of education, she expressed gratitude to Karbi Students Association, various social organizations and individuals for their active cooperation in her ground research in the field of education.

Sushanta Roy is a journalist in Assam, India, who photographs and writes about the people, animals and flora of Assam, and the things that affect them.