Nishant Saxena

The Uttar Pradesh government has recently launched a new program called “Sharda”, aimed at finding and enrolling students who have dropped out of school. Under this initiative, school principals, teachers, and other officials will conduct a household survey to identify out-of-school children and enroll them in age-appropriate classes. The government has also launched the “School Chalo Abhiyan” program to further encourage school attendance.

According to the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009, all children between the ages of 6 and 14 who are out of school must be identified and enrolled in appropriate classes, with special training provided if necessary. The “Sharda” program has been designed to help fulfill this provision, with school officials working under the direction of the DM to conduct a household survey and identify out-of-school children.

The program will be conducted in two phases, with the first phase beginning on April 1, 2023, and running until May 15, 2023. During this phase, children will be identified and enrolled in age-appropriate classes, with special attention given to children affected by brick kiln mines and seasonal migration. Additionally, the program will identify and provide support for out-of-school children with special needs.

To ensure the success of the program, assessments will be conducted regularly through the “Sharda” app. A lesson plan will then be prepared based on the results of the assessments, with regular monitoring of attendance and progress by designated teachers and headmasters.

The “Sharda” program aims to bring children back into the mainstream of education by linking them to social security schemes and providing special training based on the “Sharda” curriculum. Monitoring of 20 schools will be conducted each month by special educators, with information regarding identification, enrollment, evaluation, and attendance of out-of-school children uploaded through the “Sharda” app.

The Uttar Pradesh government’s “Sharda” program and “School Chalo Abhiyan” initiative are important steps towards ensuring that all children have access to education and can reach their full potential. By enrolling out-of-school children in appropriate classes and providing them with the support they need, these programs have the potential to transform the lives of countless young people and contribute to the growth and development of Uttar Pradesh.

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