Fewer enrollment of students under RTE causes concern

A correspondent 

Shillong,  April 17: Congress legislator from East Shillong Ampareen Lyngdoh on Tuesday expressed concern over fewer enrollment of students of the State in the Upper Primary (UP) section under the Right To Education (RTE). 

Lyngdoh said while in the Lower Primary (LP) section the number of students covered under RTE in the State is around 4 lakh, in the UP section the number of students enrolled has been less than 2 lakh from 2010-11, when the RTE was first implemented, till 2017-18.

Replying during the Question Hour, Meghalaya Education Minister Lahkmen Rymbui said 6,23,221 students (4,72,653 in LP and 1,50,568 in UP) were enrolled in 2010-11 under the Right to Education (RTE) Act, but in 2011-12 the number dropped to 5,69,148 (4,34,482 in LP and 1,34,666 in UP). 

In 2012-13, the number of students covered under RTE was 6,00,622 with 4,30,846 in LP and 1,69,776 and in the subsequent year(2013-14) it was 5,79,797 (4,16,775 in LP and 1,63,022 in UP).

Rymbui also informed the House that in 2014-15, 5,89,005 students (4,16,978 in LP and 1,72,027 in UP) and in 2015-16 altogether 5,99,035 (4,18,090 in LP and 1,80,945 in UP) students were covered under the RTE in the State.

In 2016-17 and 2017-18 the total number of students covered under RTE in the State was 6,14,362 out of which 4,22,844 were in the LP and 1,91,518 in the UP.

The State Education Minister also said that all the recognized schools of the State have been brought under the ambit of the RTE Act.

Meanwhile, Independent legislator from Mawphlang constituency Syntar Klas Sunn on Tuesday informed the Meghalaya Assembly that there were a total of 1, 09,495 school drop outs in Meghalaya from 2013 to 2017.