(a) the steps taken/proposed to be taken by the Government for the students particularly the migrant students deprived of school education due to Covid-19 pandemic;
(b) whether the Government has identified such students who have been deprived of school education this year;
(c) if so, the details thereof, State-wise including Gujarat; and
(d) if not, the reasons therefor?
MINISTER OF EDUCATION
(SHRI RAMESH POKHRIYAL ''NISHANK'')
(a) to (d): Education is in the Concurrent List of the Constitution and majority of the schools come under the purview of the respective State and UT Governments. In order to mitigate the impact of challenges thrown by the COVID-19 pandemic for migrant children and for preventing drop outs, lower enrolments and loss of learning, the Ministry of Education issued guidelines for identification, smooth admission process and continued education of migrant children on 13.07.2020. The guidelines were issued to all States and UTs and uploaded on the Ministry website at https://www.education.gov.in/sites/upload_files/mhrd/files/Migrant%20labour%20 guideline.pdf. The States have been asked to identify and enrol all children of migrant workers without any procedural formalities and maintain a database of migrant children admitted.
Further, in order to ensure that our children have access to education with quality and equity and to minimize the impact of the pandemic on school education in the country, Ministry of Education has prepared and issued detailed guidelines on 7th January, 2021, on steps to be taken by the States and UTs during school closure and when the school re-open. The link of the guidelines is https://www.education.gov.in/sites/upload_files/mhrd/files/guidelines_oosc.pdf. The guidelines include identification of out of school children from age 6-18 years, enrolment drives and awareness generation, student support while schools are closed, continued Education for children with Special Needs (CWSN), student support on school reopening and Teacher capacity building.
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