
Students’ Santa squad in UP brings dropouts back to school
Although the Uttar Pradesh basic education department has been talking about higher school enrolments, what takes away from their claims is the huge dropout rate witnessed in the state, especially at the elementary level.
Now, a primary school has decided to combat this issue in its own unique way. The school’s ‘Bal Sansad’ is doubling up as the ‘Santa squad’ this festive season, conducting a door-to-door drive to get back dropouts and classmates who have been irregular.
Students of the primary school in village Lakhesar of Jaunpur district have used this Christmas to make guardians of their former classmates and other irregular students understand the importance of education. In this direction, they have also created a small informative pamphlet that urges parents to send their children to school.
Headmaster Ramesh Chandra Yadav said that one of the reasons why the dropout rate at the school was high was its location. “The school is situated in a remote part and the terrain is tough. As a result, attendance and retention figures have been suffering.”
However, members of the ‘Santa squad’ are now out to change this.
Harshit of Class 5, president of the Bal Sansad, Saumya of Class 5, vice president, Vanshi of Class 4, health and hygiene minister, Anshika of Class 4, education minister, Chandni of Class 5, cultural minister and Sohani of Class 4, environment minister, have taken up the responsibility to get students back to school.
“On Christmas Day and since then, we have been going out in the afternoon, with our teachers Shivam Singh and Mukesh Dubey, to convince villagers to send their children to school,” said Harshit and Saumya.
Chandni and Sohani added that it had been a learning experience for them as well -- convincing elders and classmates on how important it was to attend classes daily.
“In the process, the squad succeeded in bringing back 12 students -- 10 who had been irregular and two dropouts,” informed Shivam Singh, teacher.
Appreciating the idea of forming a ‘Santa squad’, village head Nisha Tiwari has promised to help the school improve its infrastructure, including construction of better toilets and getting a projector to facilitate lectures. “With her help, the school will soon have new and better facilities,” said a teacher.
The headmaster said that the goal of the ‘Santa squad’ was to build confidence among students and guardians, strengthen teacher-student relationship, create a positive atmosphere for promoting education, and improve student retention and attendance.
According to available data, the Net Enrolment Rate (NER) in UP at the elementary level is 79.86% -- 9 percentage points lower than the all India average of 88.94%. The state has an annual dropout rate of 8.58% at the primary level -- the 6th highest in the country and more than double the all India average of 4.13%. Also, the state’s primary to upper-primary transition rate of 79.1% is the 4th lowest in the country -- 11.04 percentage points below the national average of 90.14%.

UP Assembly ruckus: Ruling and opposition benches trade charges

IndiGo’s Sharjah-Lucknow flight lands in Karachi after passenger falls ill, dies
- IndiGo said the passenger could not be revived and was declared dead on arrival by the airport medical team

CM Yogi Adityanath to invoke NSA against accused in Hathras murder case

Woman accused of killing husband, can't be given child's custody: HC
- The court observed that there was a possibility that the mother could be convicted and the adverse impact of the event, if it were to come to pass, would far outweigh the transitory benefit the minor would derive from her mother's care and company.

Speed of execuyion of Jewar airport project reflects new work culture of UP: CM

Kashi BJP gets hi-tech office, Nadda calls it 'medium' for best quality values
- The new BJP office in Varanasi was built in about two year’s time at an estimated cost of around ₹6 crore, said a party leader.

Akhilesh slams UP CM over shifting of Etawah safari lions to Gorakhpur zoo
- In a tweet, Akhilesh said that shifting of the lions was an attempt to kill the tourism industry in Etawah.

NSUI chief urges UP youth to join unemployment protest at Parliament on March 12
- Neeraj Kundan also lauded NSUI for winning two important posts in the recently held student union’s election at Kashi Vidyapeeth.

₹2,100 crores raised for Ram Temple so far: Trust

Pay bills on time, disclose actual load to get cheap electricity: UP minister

The MSME (Ministry of Micro Small and Medium Enterprises) sector accounts for about 20% of the country's GDP. It is also the largest employment provider in the country. Most MSMEs are exempted from maintaining detailed audit records. But after demonetisation, that might change. In the last Union Budget, the government raised tax exemptions for small business units with a turnover of up to ₹2 crore from the earlier ₹1 crore. However, PM Narendra Modi has assured these MSMEs that there will be no harassment caused to them on the basis of their previous balance sheets.
UP government says ₹42,700 crore loan given to about 13 lakh MSMEs in FY21

'Statement of Indian, Hindu culture': Min Pradhan reviews projects in Varanasi

Want alliance with BJP in 2022 UP polls, says RPI chief Athawale

Four days after woman found burnt, four accused arrested

Tent city to come up on sandy Ganga bank in Varanasi on the lines of Konark
- Instructions have been given to the tourism department officials to prepare the detailed project report for the tent city in Varanasi.