SHILLONG: Meghalaya’s Education Minister, Lahkmen Rymbui said there was no dropout in the state so far in 2018.
During the question hour, independent MLA SK Sunn provided a background on the number of dropouts presented by former School Education and Literacy Minister, Deborah Marak from 2013 to 2017.
As per her reply, the total number of school dropouts was over 1 lakh (1,09,495) last year.
In response to the reply of Rymbui that there was no dropout, Sunn said. “ with no dropouts, it is very good.”
In response to repeated supplementary questions on the dropout rate, the Minister said,“ It has not come to my knowledge. The net dropout is nil”
To a supplementary question on the literacy rate pre and post RTE,
,Rymbui said the literacy rate in the state had improved though the exact rate was not available with him.
Answering a supplementary question, Rymbui said all schools had reserved 25 per cent seats for the weaker section, but till date, nobody had applied for it.
Stating that the government endeavoured to ensure children from the age of 6-14 years are given free education, he said the department from time to time makes special programmes to sensitise parents from under-privilege backgrounds on the value of education.
The number of children that have been covered under Right to Education (RTE) act in 2010-11 are 6,23,221(LP- 4,72, 653, UP- 1,50, 568), in 2011-12 there were 5, 69, 148 students (LP-4, 34, 482, UP-1, 34, 666), in 2012-13 the number is 600622 (LP-4, 30, 846, UP-1, 69, 776), in 2013-14 it is 5, 79, 797 (LP-4,16, 775, UP- 1, 63, 022).
In 2014-15, the number of students is 5, 89,005 (LP-4,16,978, UP-1,72, 027), in 2015-16, it is 5,99,035 (LP-4,18,090, UP-1,80, 945).
In the year 2016-17 and 2017-18, the number of students was 6,14, 362 each (LP-4,22,844, UP-1,91,518).
He replied that the RTE act was implemented from August 1, 2011 and there was no separate budget for RTE Act given by the government.
In a supplementary reply to the question of Sunn, the Education Minister said all recognized schools were brought under the purview of the Act.
Congress MLA Ampareen Lyngdoh asked on the disparity as seen in the figures as in 2017-18 the number of LP students was 4,22,844 while in the UP it was 1, 91, 518.
To this, the Education Minister said he will find out about the matter.