No more schools please, we’ve enough

Fifty-seven years after Independence, three states have come forward to say that they don’t need any more school buildings and that all...

Fifty-seven years after Independence, three states have come forward to say that they don’t need any more school buildings and that all their children have schools within walking distance.

Kerala, which prides itself on its literacy drive, is expectedly on the list. Himachal Pradesh and Mizoram have also joined it to officially inform the Union Government that their primary school infrastructure is adequate. Goa is expected to make a similar assertion, if not this year then next.

The pleasant news came when HRD officials, doing their budgetary allocations, met representatives from different states on Thursday

to gauge their needs. For the first time in India’s history, three states declared they did not require money for new school buildings, though they will still money to upgrade some facilities and to introduce computers.

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• Of the three, Himachal Pradesh boasted of the best numbers. In all, it has just 4,000 children not attending school. Most of them are children from nomadic Gujjar tribes. Even here, the state government has not given up. It has gone to the extent of getting teachers to travel with the nomads and teach their children.

• Kerala has reported that the total number of children below 14 not attending classes is precisely 8,077. The state has a long history of total literacy and for several years now, the ministry has been expecting it to reach this milestone. Kerala has also said that its current shortfall in enrolment is mostly among groups of tribals residing in the districts of Wayanad, Kasargod and Malappuram. It will no more require school buildings but might need to create a few makeshift schools in existing buildings under the Education Guarantee Scheme.

• Mizoram had launched a significant student enrolment drive with the help of the Church several years ago. Education became a key indicator of the local people’s aspirations once the separatist movement petered out in the late 80s. Its out-of-school children are mostly from remote tribals residing in the forested hilly areas. The drop-out rate after Class V is high among boys, not girls.

• Goa may make it to the list very soon but state officials are yet to meet HRD policy planners and state their monetary demands for the year.

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HRD officials do agree that though these states have achieved a fine distinction, there is a paradox which education planners are still trying to answer. None of these states has been excelling in economic indicators.

Kerala has boosted its economy through tourism only recently. Mizoram has been pleading for a ‘‘peace bonus’’ ever since its insurgents laid down arms in 1987. There is rising unemployment in HP.

Ministry officials anticipate that over the next year or two Gujarat and Assam may stop seeking funds to build new schools. Two other states have also been claiming rapid strides, but the ministry would like to verify the claims.