Ease norms for migrant kids’ admissions: HRD

NEW DELHI: The Union human resource development (HRD) ministry has directed schools across the country to prepare a detailed database of children of migrant workers, who have moved to their home states amid the Covid-19 pandemic, and asked them to admit these children without any documentary formalities.

These are among detailed directions that the HRD ministry has sent to states on Friday to ensure that the education of children of migrant labour does not fall prey to the Covid-19 onslaught. A huge number of migrant workers returned to their home states, with their families, after the announcement of a nationwide lockdown that was imposed on March 25.

The ministry document, accessed by HT, states, “Some states may see a reduction in numbers of children enrolled in their schools or they will be reported as absent, while others will see a surge in children requiring admissions”. In order to ensure that there is no loss of learning or academic year for all such children, the ministry has formulated these guidelines.

Children of migrants, who have returned to their native villages and towns, should also be provided mid-meals, the document states. In the states, where there is out or reverse migration, a database may be prepared of children who have left the local area for their homes in other areas, the guidelines state.

“Such a database may be prepared by each school by personally contacting parents or guardians of all children studying in their school, through phone, WhatsApp , neighbours, peer group, etc. Their tentative place of stay during this period may be noted. While all care must be taken to ensure that their names are not struck off the rolls, their numbers may be reported classwise to Directorate of Education to compensate for any input costs to be incurred by the school such as mid-day meals, distribution of textbooks and uniforms etc,” the HRD ministry has said.

In states witnessing influx, the respective state governments may direct all schools to give admission to any child who has recently returned back to the village without asking for any other documents, except some identity proof.