Survey to trace ‘out of school’ kids starts
The Punjab School Education Department has launched a door-to-door survey to identify children aged three to 19 years who are not enrolled in school. The three-week survey, running from November 18 to December 12, is being conducted under the direction of the Union Ministry of Education and the Punjab State Commission for Protection of Child Rights.
The primary goal of the survey is to locate children in vulnerable situations, including those living near railway stations, bus stands, slums or construction sites, as well as children from migrant families, nomadic tribes or pavement dwellers. It also focuses on children working in brick kilns, as domestic help, in dhabas, eateries, garages or as rag pickers, and those without adult protection.
The survey is being carried out by a team of associate teachers, volunteers from AIE, EGS, STR and members of the school management committees. In some cases, regular government school teachers may also assist.
The survey is supervised by the Block Primary Education Officer, with the heads of middle schools ensuring coverage within a 3-km radius of their schools and senior secondary school heads overseeing areas within a 5-km radius. At the district level, the Deputy District Education Officer serves as the nodal officer for the survey’s coordination.