Lok Sabha Question No. 153 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-07-19
Subject: Online education
Ministry: Education
Asked by: Gangasandra Siddappa Basavaraj

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF EDUCATION DEPARTMENT OF SCHOOL EDUCATION & LITERACY

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 153 TO BE ANSWERED ON 19.07.2021

## Online education

## 153. SHRI G.S. BASAVARAJ:

Will the Minister of EDUCATION be pleased to state:

(a) whether there have been large number of drop outs in primary classes in rural India due to inability of poor families mostly of migrant labour to send their children to schools as discovered during the commencement of Academic Session 2021-22 and if so, the details thereof;

(b) whether due to rising unemployment in rural areas, poor families find it difficult to provide their  children  in  primary classes with smartphones and also to arrange for internet facilities at home and if so, the details thereof; and

(c)  whether  the  Government  would  consider  re-opening  of  primary  schools  wherever  the pandemic conditions have abated and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER MINISTER OF EDUCATION (SHRI DHARMENDRA PRADHAN)

(a): Education is in the Concurrent List of the Constitution. In order to prevent drop outs, lower enrolments and loss of learning, the Ministry of Education has issued guidelines for identification,  smooth  admission  process  and  continued  education  of  migrant  children  on  13 th July,  2020, inter-alia,  requesting the States to identify and enrol all such children without any procedural formalities and maintain a database of children so admitted.

Further, to ensure that children have access to education with quality and equity and to minimize the  impact  of  the  pandemic  on  school  education  in  the  country,  the  Department  of  School Education  has  shared  guidelines  dated  7 th January,  2021  with  all  States/UTs  which,  among others, include identification of out of school children from age 6-18 years, enrolment drives and awareness generation, student support while schools are closed, continued Education for children with  Special  Needs  (CWSN),  student  support  on  school  reopening  and  Teacher  capacity building.

Also, a comprehensive Covid action plan  has been shared with the States and UTs on 4 th May 2021,    outlining  the  role  of  local  bodies,  formation  of  nodal  group  at  village/town  level, conducting  door-to-door/helpdesk-based/app  based  survey  to  identify  out  of  school  children, their mainstreaming and resource sharing.

(b): An Alternative Academic Calendar has been prepared for learning solutions grade 1 to 12 for  both-  a  child  with  device  and  one  without  device.  Also,  where  the  internet  facility  is  not available,  Ministry  of  Education  has  taken  many  initiatives  like  One  Class  One  Channel  of SWAYAM PRABHA to impart education through TV and one DTH channel specifically for hearing  impaired  students  in  sign  language,  Community  Radio  Stations  and  a  podcast  called Shiksha Vani of CBSE, Textbooks, worksheet supplied to residence of learners, Handbook on 21 st Century Skills, supporting setting up of mobile school, virtual studios, virtual class rooms in schools, etc.

(c):  The  Ministry  of  Home  Affairs  vide  Order  No.  40-3/2020-DM-I(A)  dated  30 th September, 2020  has  issued  guidelines  for  re-opening  of  schools,  after  15 th October,2020,  in  a  graded manner,  for  which  the  State/  UT  Government  may  take  a  decision  in  consultation  with  the respective school/ institution management, based on their assessment of the situation. Accordingly,  this  Department  has  prepared  and  disseminated  Standard  Operating  Procedure/ guidelines for Health and Safety protocols for Reopening of Schools and Learning with physical/ social distancing to all the States and UTs.

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