Centre to roll out scheme to educate out-of-school teens, Pg11

Key Highlights:

• Central Government is set to launch a pilot program in 10 districts across 9 states to connect out-of-school children aged 14-18 with the National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) for distance learning.
• The decision was taken at a high-level meeting chaired by Sanjay Kumar, Secretary, Department of School Education & Literacy (DoSEL), Ministry of Education.
• The pilot program aims to move beyond the existing voluntary framework using app-based mapping and monitoring systems.
• According to the latest Periodic Labour Force Survey, over two crore children aged 14–18 are out of school.

Detailed Insights:

• The initiative includes mapping out-of-school children aged 14-18 via apps, establishing monitoring systems, creating incentive mechanisms, and developing district-level convergence strategies.
• The 10 districts for the pilot program are located in Odisha, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, and Delhi.
• Prior to the pilot's launch, officials will focus on enrolling NIOS Facilitators, distributing starter kits, and conducting preliminary surveys to ensure effective implementation.
• This program addresses the challenge of a significant number of adolescents being out of school, aiming to integrate them into the education system through open schooling.

Key Concepts Involved:

• NIOS (National Institute of Open Schooling): An institution providing distance education.
• Periodic Labour Force Survey: A survey estimating labor force statistics.
• Distance Learning: Education where students are not physically present in a traditional classroom.