Lok Sabha Question No. 2486 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-12-13
Subject: Education for Marginalised Communities
Ministry: Education
Asked by: Gaurav Gogoi

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF EDUCATION DEPARTMENT OF SCHOOL EDUCATION & LITERACY

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 2486 TO BE ANSWERED ON 13.12.2021

## Education for Marginalised Communities

## 2486. SHRI GAURAV GOGOI:

Will the Minister of EDUCATION be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has taken any steps or has directed the States to focus on attendance of students from marginalised communities as schools reopen across the country;
- (b) the  action  taken  to  ensure  continued  learning  in  schools  attended  predominantly  by  children from migrant, Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribe, economically weaker sections and language minority communities;
- (c) the action taken to bring female students back to school; and
- (d) the  action  taken  to  bring  back  to  school  those  students  who  took  to  various  forms  of employment during school closure?

## A N S W E R

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION (SMT. ANNPURNA DEVI)

(a) to (d): Education  is  a  subject  in  the  concurrent  list  of  the  Constitution  and  majority  of  the schools are under the control of the respective State Governments. The decision regarding re-opening of  schools  is  subject  to  strict  adherence  to  the  SOPs  of  States/UTs  concerned  and  the  guidelines issued by Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) from time to time. MHA guidelines dated 30.09.2020 stipulate  that  the  States/UTs  may  take  a  decision  in  respect  of  re-opening  of  Schools  after  15 th October,  2020  in  consultation  with  the  respective  school/institution  management  based  on  their assessment  of  situation  and  the  students  could  attend  schools  only  with  the  written  consent  of parents.

In  order to  mitigate the  impact of  closure of schools on school children including children belonging  to  disadvantaged  group  and  for  preventing  drop  outs,  lower  enrolments  and  loss  of learning, instructions and guidelines have been issued by Ministry of Education to the States & UTs time  to  time  for  continuing  education  of  children  including  children  belonging  to  disadvantaged group. The States and UTs have also been suggested steps/actions such as identification of out of school  children  from  age  6  to  18  years,  enrolment  drives  and  awareness  generation,  continued education  for  Children  with  Special  Needs  (CwSN),  student  support  while  schools  are  closed including  worksheets  and  text  books  supplied  to  residence  of  learners,  home  visits  by  teachers, community classes etc., to be taken during the school closure and when the schools re-open.

In  addition,  all  States  and  UTs  have  been  asked  to  issue  necessary  directions    to    the concerned  authorities  to    proactively  track    girls    who  are    not  enrolled    in    schools    or    have dropped-out  of  school  without completing their  School Education  and get  them  admitted  in age-appropriate  classes  in schools.

Further, an action plan was prepared and shared with States and UTs which contains guidance for States and UTs for preventing drop outs, locating out of school children and mainstreaming them.

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