Homeless kids, child labourers in Uttarakhand to receive education at 'mobile schools'

DEHRADUN

: The

Uttarakhand

government has decided to provide education to the homeless children, child labourers and those who sell items at traffic signals, or beg for sustenance through mobile schools.

The first phase of the initiative involves identifying these children using help from multiple agencies like the public works department, education and labour departments among others.

"Many of these children slip through the cracks. We want them to have a shot at a proper education. Once the surveys are done and we have identified them, we will introduce mobile schools. Teachers would be able to go to these clusters and take classes," education minister

Dhan Singh Rawat

told TOI.

The government expects to run the programme by July this year, when the new

session

starts.

Rawat further said that all children, irrespective of their origin state, will be eligible for the initiative. "We would rope in NGOs also along with government agencies. Children from other states who have migrated here will also be provided education. All nomadic kids, those begging or selling merchandise at street corners or signals will be helped," said Rawat.

The minister also said that they are working on plans to reduce the dropout rate, identify the major reasons and address them.