‘Mashaal’ march to bring dropouts back to school

Nikhila Pant Dhawan

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, February 12

To increase the number of enrolled students and bring back the out-of-school students and dropouts, the Education Department has planned to take out a ‘mashaal’ march in all districts.

Under its plan, the ‘mashaal’ march today reached Bathinda district where it was welcomed by District Education Officer (Secondary) Maninder Kaur.

Starting from Government Senior Secondary School, Talwandi Sabo, the march went through various villages of the district before entering Muktsar district, where it will be taken out tomorrow.

The ‘mashaal’ march included vehicles decorated with flexes and banners of ‘Praho Punjab, Padhao Punjab’ and slogans of the Education Department.

A large number of teachers, along with students and staff of the district Education Department, participated in the march. The march was flagged off by the DEO.

Addressing the gathering while flagging off the march, DEO Maninder Kaur, Deputy DEO Bhupinder Kaur and DEO (Primary) Baljit Singh Sandoha talked about various benefits, which are extended to students of government schools, under social welfare and security schemes of the state and Central government.

They urged the teachers to make the public aware of these schemes and motivate the parents of children, especially girl child, to get their children enrolled in the schools.

They said, “It has come to light that several times parents of school students don’t take keen interest in getting their children admitted to the next class. As part of this campaign, besides ensuring admissions, the school heads and district education officers will also have to track the attendance pattern of the students, making sure that the enrolled students come to the school.”

Teachers may also consider the involvement of panchayat members to give the campaign a shot in the arm.