Medininagar: District Magistrate-cum-Deputy Commissioner of Palamu, Dilip Pratap Singh Shekhawat, chaired a review meeting with officials and staff of the Education Department to assess the implementation of various educational schemes and the condition of schools across the district. The meeting, held at the Collectorate auditorium, focused on the progress of important schemes including scholarships, uniform distribution, textbooks, and the Mid-Day Meal programme, along with issuing necessary directions for improvement.

During the meeting, Deputy Commissioner Dilip Pratap Singh Shekhawat reviewed students’ attendance records on the e-Vidyavahini portal and expressed concern over low attendance in several blocks. He directed the concerned Block Education Extension Officers to launch special campaigns to improve student attendance. The Deputy Commissioner observed that factors such as permanent migration, child labour, and declining parental interest in education could be responsible for low enrolment and attendance in schools. He stressed the need for a serious review of these issues and directed officials to work towards effective solutions.

Emphasizing the importance of bringing dropout children back into the education system, Dilip Pratap Singh Shekhawat instructed teachers to personally contact such children and their parents and motivate them for re-enrolment. He stated that ensuring every child receives the right to education remains a top priority for the district administration. The Mid-Day Meal Scheme was also reviewed during the meeting. The Deputy Commissioner directed officials to ensure that children are provided with quality meals as per the prescribed roster. Discussions were also held regarding the status of kitchen gardens, libraries, and other basic facilities in schools.

The meeting further reviewed the recently declared results of the Jharkhand Academic Council (JAC) Class 10 and Class 12 examinations. The Deputy Commissioner instructed officials to prepare a separate list of schools that have consistently performed poorly over the last three years for detailed review and corrective action. He also directed Block Education Extension Officers, Cluster Resource Persons (CRPs), and Block Resource Persons (BRPs) to conduct regular inspections of schools and submit geo-tagged photographs of inspections to the district office.

In addition, several educational initiatives were reviewed during the meeting, including the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan, enrolment in Kasturba Gandhi Residential Schools, digital education, bicycle distribution, school kits, CBSE-based selection in Chief Minister Excellent Schools, ICT programmes, and smart classes. The meeting was attended by the District Education Officer, District Education Superintendent, Block Education Extension Officers, accountants, BPOs, wardens, and other concerned officials.