Other States - Orissa

Fair attracts drop-outs

KORAPUT: Kamlu Chalan, Babuli Bhatra, Soudamini Dhanful and Sudharani Dhanful were the names of a few children who wanted to go back to school at Bandaguda village in Kotpad block of Koraput district while participating in the fair organised to exhibit different aspects of education. However this was only one instance among many to cheer about in Kotapad block especially after being selected to become the only block in the district for launching ‘Srujana’, a programme launched by SSA/DPEP to create linkage between the traditional knowledge available with the parents of the children and the knowledge shared with the children in schools, according to Ramesh Chandra Misahra, BRCC of Kotpad.

Under the programme during the last one month, eight fairs were already organised in Alupadar, Puagaon, Miriguda and Bhajiguda villages apart from Bandaguda to attract the drop-out children, those irregular to schools and their parents to explore the new dimensions of education, says Mr. Mishra.

Performance of Geet Kudia, Dhemsa and other traditional art forms by the adults attracted the children in most of the fairs. Children, who attended in large numbers, interacted with the children from various schools in the neighbourhood and found fresh reasons to go back to school. Looking at the successful results coming from Kotpad, the administration is planning to replicate the process of interaction in all the other 13 blocks of Koraput district so as to ensure readmission of the drop-out children especially girls in schools, says Padmini Pathi, gender coordinator of DPEP.

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