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Education sector needs fillip: experts

BHUBANESWAR: Crumbling government-aided education system in Orissa continues to evoke serious concern among educationists, civil rights groups and policy makers.

A 10-year analysis of budgetary expenditure in the education sector clearly shows that the government has made little effort to resurrect the vital organ of development.

“Educational expenditure in the State has been gradually deteriorating from year to year since 1998-99.

The year 1999-2000 has been the only aberration in the trend,” a study carried out by the People’s Cultural Centre (PECUC), an NGO, in association with ActionAid, a funding agency, here said. Share of expenditure in education sector dipped to below 3 per cent of the Gross State Domestic Produce during the last five year.

As regards total State expenditure, education comes in the category of departments having low budgetary provisions. The PECUC said public expenditure on education played an important role in designing the State human resources development.

“In view of slow pace of education attainment and high dropout rate, particularly among the girl students in the State, it is important to examine and suggest measures on the pace of public expenditure on education,” the organisation demanded.

To make education for all children a reality, it was necessary to enhance expenditure in education by 25 per cent, said educationists, trade union leaders, teachers’ associations and civil rights groups.

The workshop was based on analysis of ‘Orissa State education budget: priorities and challenges’.

Participants underlined the need for keeping momentum of making people aware about their education rights to boost government-aided education, Ranjan Mohanty, secretary of PECUC said.

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