500 kids not getting education due to lack of schools

BIJNOR: Forty-nine villages in

Bijnor

are bereft of a primary school within a radius of 1 km as their population is less than 300, each. "This is because existing norms do not mandate a school near villages with a population of less than 300," said

Salim Beg

, Bijnor district coordinator of Sarv Shiksha Abhiyan.

According to officials, at least 500 children are sitting at home, while 50 of them have never been to school. Those remaining have to suffer hardships while travelling long distances to other villages with schools.

According to officials, there are 1,123 village panchayats in Bijnor. Out of these, there are 49 villages such as Makoniya, Jhulokhatta,

Nai Basti

, Ichchhawala, Himmatpur etc having a population of less than 300. These villages are located in remote areas such as near forests or across rivers.

Beg confirmed the unavailability of schools in these 49 villages and said, "Earlier, there were 60 villages without primary schools. Population in all these villages was less than 300. There is a provision that primary schools must be within a radius of one km and higher primary within a radius of three km. However, if a village does not have a population of 300, these norms are not mandated. Therefore, these villages do not qualify. We had sent a proposal for schools in these villages. Eleven villages got schools."

An official who did not wish to be named said, "Children of these villages study in nearby schools of other villages. They have to suffer lot of problems because they travel long distances. Most of the villagers living in these villages are labourers or small farmers by profession."

Some villages such as Makoniya, Amangarh, and

Jhoolon Khatta

have a population of over 300 but are situated in forest lands where it is difficult to construct schools. There are over 150 children in these villages. However, many of them cannot read or write properly. The remaining study outside forest areas, travelling long distances. However, such wards are very few. Kids of these Muslim-majority hamlets spend their childhood in the darkness of dense forests and tending the cattle. Many sell milk to earn their livelihoods.

Interestingly, there is a government primary school in Alipura village, around four kms away from the forest. However, people do not send their kids as they have to pass through dense forests. Children say they are scared of the roar of the tigers and the trumpets of the elephants as these animals are found in a large number in this area. To pass the area, they would have to risk their lives on a daily basis.


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