Sumita Sarkar,TNN | May 9, 2014, 05.05 AM IST

NASHIK: Around 5,000 children in the city eligible for Class I are not going to school, a survey conducted by the education department of the Nashik Municipal Corporation (NMC) has revealed. 

The administrative officer of the education department, Kiran Kunwar, and the teachers of NMC schools have been carrying out an extensive survey on the children from April 15. Collecting feedbacks about the survey from teachers and headmasters/headmistresses at a meeting on Wednesday evening, the education officer found that around 5,000 children were out of school. 

The education department said their aim was to admit all these children to schools and ensure that they get educated. 

"We have so far found that about 5,000 children are out of school. But there may be more such cases. Keeping this in mind, we will appoint an NGO to conduct a survey for us so that no child is seen loitering on the road and, instead, be in school," Kunwar said. 

She said that most of these children would be admitted to municipal schools, while some of them may also be sent to private schools. "Admitting these children to school is important. In June, we will check if a student is enrolled in more than one school as some may also go to private institutes," Kunwar added. 

She has been accompanying the NMC teachers to various lower socio-economic parts of the city and creating awareness among people to educate their children. 

"These are very poor people who leave for work in morning and are not available throughout the day. That is why we go to these places very early, by 7 am and talk to the parents," Kunwar explained. 

An employee of the education department said, "These 5,000 children have never gone to school. While some among them have taken admission but not attended school, the others have not even been admitted to school. We are planning to admit even those children to school who are 7-8 years old." 

Deputy chairperson of the Forum Against Commercialization of Education Chaka Doe said, "The Right to Education (RTE) Act is becoming like a paper tiger and the authorities concerned are busy passing the buck. The victims who remain outside school don't have the capacity or the attitude to approach the authorities. The Supreme Court recently said RTE is mandatory for all schools, except the minority institutes. Schools that are flourishing are exempted from it." 

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/nashik/5k-children-stay-away-from-school-Survey/articleshow/34853635.cms