- Kendujhar District Administration under DMF launched historic initiative
- 22 crore will be spent every year to benefit 50,000 students
- Registration of the students is to be completed before August 14
Keonjhar (Kalinga Voice): In a historic step to reduce the drop-out rate seen in secondary education in Kendujhar and to encourage students to pursue higher education, the district administration under the able guidance of the dynamic collector Ashis Thakre has started an innovative initiative. By the implementation of the initiative, it will encourage the students to complete their secondary education and make the road wider for higher education. District Magistrate and Chairman and Managing Trustee, DMF Sri Thackeray formally started this important initiative at a special function held at Darbar Hall.
This initiative. aims at providing all students of Class IX & X studying in Government and Aided Schools in Keonjhar district will now receive free textbooks, uniforms and mid-day meals under DMF, from this academic year onwards. Further, Class X students who perform well in the Board of Secondary Education (BSE) examination will be awarded #scholarships ranging from Rs. 10,000 to Rs. 40,000, according to the marks scored.
The main objectives of the initiative are to prevent the dropout of students after Class VIII, address their nutritional needs during adolescence, encourage them to successfully complete their schooling cycle, and also support them financially to pursue higher studies beyond Class X level.
It is seen that out of every 100 children in the district who enroll in Class 1, less than 60 of them successfully manage to continue their studies beyond Class X. One of the key factors for the high transition loss is the sudden withdrawal of support provided to students in the form of free textbooks, uniforms, and mid-day meals, after Class VIII.
In a socio-economically backward district like Keonjhar, where more than 55% of the population belong to the ScheduledCastes and #ScheduledTribes, the initiative is expected to #transform secondary education in the district, in the coming years.
To be implemented at a cost of Rs. 22 Crore per annum under DMF, the initiative which is also in-line with the recommendations of the NationalEducationPolicy (draft), 2019 will benefit about 50,000 students of Class IX & X of the district, every year.
Students have been asked by the district administration to register their names at a nearby high school by August 14 to take the benefit of the facility.
