The Hindu Business Line : AP launches drive to enroll kids in school

TOUGH INITIATION: A scene at the launch of `Badi Bata' in Hyderabad by the Chief Minister on Monday. The State Government launched a drive to bring back to school several children after the vacation in rural areas. - P. V. Sivakumar

Hyderabad , June 6

THE Andhra Pradesh Government has launched a special drive from June 6 to11 called `Badi Bata' to identify children between 5-11 years and get them admitted in schools.

Announcing this Statewide effort, the Chief Minister, Dr Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy told newspersons that approximately 4.23 lakh children were still out of schools. At the end of 2004-05, the total number of school going children in the State was 1.15 crore.

Andhra Pradesh, which has a population of about 8 crore, stood at a low 28th in the country with the literacy rate of 61.11 per cent as per the 2001 census report. Though the situation has improved, the State and society have a responsibility to ensure that the children got schooling, Dr Reddy said.

In addition to poverty, the existence of school facilities were also playing a role in the continuance of a significant number of young children being left out of the joys of studying. The Government proposes to bridge this gap, he said.

The State has 61,680 primary schools and about Rs 504 crore was spent on ensuring facilities to provide education to children. However, the high drop out rate in the districts of Mahboobnagar, Warangal and Nizamabad is still worrying, he said.

Special attention would be paid to bring back the dropouts, address the concerns of migrant populations living on the fringes of cities such as Hyderabad and strengthen infrastructure in schools.

Last year, about 16,000 additional classrooms were built and 17,000 teachers recruited, Dr Reddy said.

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