Swachh Bharat Effect: 95 Per Cent Schools Now Have Girls’ Toilets Finds NITI Aayog Report, 100 Per Cent Coverage In UTs

As many as 95 per cent schools across 32 states and Union Territories have girls toilets, according to the School Education Quality Index (SEQI) developed by the NITI Aayog.

As per the report for 2016-17, Assam and Meghalaya reported the lowest number of girls toilets at 83.4 per cent and 84.1 per cent, respectively. While most states and UTs reported data almost similar to last year, Sikkim and Nagaland reported decline.

The percentage of schools with girls toilets in UTs, large states and small states was 100 per cent, 97.6 per cent and 96.7 per cent, respectively.

For 2016-17, Himachal Pradesh achieved 100 per cent target. Gujarat achieved saturation coverage last year.

States like Tamil Nadu (99.9 per cent) and Punjab (99.8 per cent) are at the 2015-16 level. The UTs reported 100 per cent coverage.

But outcomes on computer-aided learning (CAL) are not that cheerful. In 2016-17, only four states and UTs had CAL in more than 50 per cent elementary schools. Among them, Chandigarh and Lakshadweep recorded the highest coverage at 76.7 per cent and 75.6 per cent, respectively.

In contrast, Bihar, Tripura, Jharkhand, Meghalaya, J&K, Chhattisgarh, Andhra Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh had CAL in less than 5 per cent elementary schools.

The Ministry of Human Resource Development developed the CAL programme under the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan scheme to integrate computers into classrooms as a learning tool.

According to data, only 10 states and UTs have computer laboratories in over 50 per cent secondary schools. Lakshadweep and Dadra & Nagar Haveli have 84.6 per cent and 81 per sent schools with computer lab facilities.

Between 2015-16 and 2016-17, the percentage of schools with computer laboratories reduced in Sikkim, Andhra Pradesh, Nagaland, Jharkhand, Arunachal Pradesh, Goa and Meghalaya.

The vocational education is also yet to pick up in schools in a substantive manner. In 2016-17, only six states and UTs offered vocational education in more than 10 per cent of schools.

The central government has been encouraging states/UTs to prioritise introduction of the vocational education in secondary and senior secondary schools to facilitate school- to-work transition.