[Needs Editing] UP: 1.5 Crore State Government School Students Still Await Books, Uniform Since April, Govt Says Funds Released
About 1.5 crore students enrolled in government schools in Uttar Pradesh are still waiting to receive the books and uniforms they are entitled to. According to Aaj Tak reports, the students are yet to receive the government-sponsored books and uniforms, even though their classes have already started from April.
According to the Times of India, the new session began on April 1 and even as four months have passed, the basic education department has failed to provide books and uniforms to 85 lakh students of state-run primary schools and junior high schools even as yet. The basic education department data reveals that 1.73 crore students are enrolled in the state. As per Right to Education (RTE), students of government schools are entitled to get free books, uniform, shoes and socks to them.
Manoj Kumar, officer-in-charge for primary textbooks said, “In the entire state, 50 per cent of the targeted textbook distribution has been completed. The remaining work will be completed within the next one month. As soon as the books are printed, they are supplied to the districts.”
Even then the officials at the Shiksha Vibhag made it clear that the process will take time, at least a month. They expected the uniforms to be ready by July which is the time when the school reopens after the summer break.
With only a few months left for the academic year to end, how are these children supposed to study without books?
Funds Released, Students Still Await
In May, Times of India had reported that the Uttar Pradesh government had issued and released Rs 327 crore for books and uniforms for the government school students. The order issued by the UP state project director of Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan Ved Pati Mishra stated, “A total amount of Rs 327.16 crore has been released for the uniform of the students studying in UP government schools. While an amount of Rs 2.96 crore was released for the students studying in Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya, an amount of Rs 324.20 crore has been released for the students belonging to Below Poverty Line (BPL) category. The amount has been released and sent to the bank accounts of school management committees, which should purchase the cloth of the uniform, get them stitched and distribute them among the students.”
But since the money was released one month after the new session began, the officials had then said that the uniforms could be distributed after the summer break.
The Logical Indian take
The pathetic situation of the UP government schools is not just limited to the unavailability of books and necessities. As per data in 2017, 15,013 schools in UP don’t even have a headmaster, 5390 staff positions are still vacant, and 1,60,000 teacher position are also vacant. It’s high time the Yogi government take responsibility for their inactions and failures and start rectifying these mistakes for the sake of providing proper education for their students.
Originally published at The Logical Indian.
