MADIKERI: The Centre has reduced grants to Kodagu district under the Sarva Shisksha Abhiyana (SSA) scheme for 2006-07 by nearly Rs. 10 crore, according to sources here on Thursday.

A proposal to release Rs. 14.41 crore was sent by the Education Department here for 2005-06 to take up various activities under the SSA scheme. The reduction in funds was said to be based on the Nanjundappa Committee report on regional imbalance, which had classified Kodagu as a "developed" district. According to sources, Mandya and Udupi districts had also been grouped under this category. The Centre had released Rs. 5.86 crore last year under the SSA scheme as against the proposal of Rs. 8.47 crore. The reduction in grants will hamper civil works under the scheme such as construction of buildings for block resource centres and cluster resource centres. The SSA scheme, covering classes 1 to 8, envisages opening classes in rural areas with a minimum strength of 10 students.

Wherever the strength is below 10, children will be taught by volunteers under the Education Guarantee Scheme (EGS). One such school was opened in Virajpet and in Madikeri during 2005-06. Under the Chinnara Angala Scheme, 136 students were trained and brought into mainstream schooling.

As many as 48 children received training in a 15-day residential bridge course, 189 under the winter Chinnara Angala Scheme, 136 under the home-based scheme where volunteers visited houses to teach students who were disabled, 23 under the "tent schools" scheme and 343 under the special enrolment drive. In all, 302 students were admitted to regular schools under a special drive, of which 225 were from Virajpet taluk, 28 from Madikeri taluk and 19 from Somwarpet taluk. As many as eight lower primary schools were opened in 2005-06, two in Somwarpet taluk and six in Virajpet taluk. In all, 154 students were enrolled in these schools. Computers were installed in 20 schools, eight in Madikeri taluk, five in Virajpet taluk and seven in Somwarpet taluk. Equipments worth nearly Rs. 1 lakh was supplied for disabled children that year.

In-charge Deputy Director of Public Instruction Vedamurthy told The Hindu that 53,596 beneficiaries had received free uniforms in 399 lower primary and higher primary schools this year. Of this, 24,390 were boys studying in classes 1 to 8 and 29,206 were girls studying in classes 1 to 10.

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