Date:18/11/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/11/18/stories/2008111851440300.htm

Tamil Nadu

Over 8,000 dropouts identified in Krishnagiri district

Staff Reporter

UNICEF team to assess water management programme in govt. schools

photo: N. Bashkaran

Clearing doubts: UNICEF representatives raising a point during the discussion about ‘Back 2 School software’ in Krishnagiri on Monday. —

KRISHNAGIRI: Representatives of UNICEF held discussions with Collector V.K. Shanmugam here on Monday about the ‘Back 2 School’ software. The software that was inaugurated by Education Minister Thangam Thennarasu last year was successfully implemented in the district.

According to the UNICEF representatives and Education officers, there a total of 8,498 dropouts in the district. Out of this, 6,819 students were enrolled in Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas and 34 residential schools under the National Child Labour Programme.

Officials said the dropouts were identified by the Block Resource Teachers and would be admitted to the KGBVs and NCLP schools.

Assessment

The team will visit the residential schools and other projects for an on the spot assessment so that the scheme can be implemented in other States, according to officials. The team will also visit eight government higher secondary schools in the district where Wise Water Management Programme (WWMP) has been implemented. In each government school, the Liquid and Solid Water Management Programme is being implemented at a cost of Rs. 50,000.

Environmentalist Dr. Lukas Dunkal from Germany, staying in Auroville in Puduchery, is actively engaged in this programme.

The team, led by him, will take stock of the success rate of the WWMP in the government schools.