Dehradun: Only 9.8% of schools in rural areas of Uttarakhand have computer facilities while only 1% of the students studying in those schools actually use them, revealed the Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) 2018 released by NGO Pratham.The report added that 24.4% schools do not have drinking water facilities and just 58.3% schools have boundary walls. In another worrying trend, the report stated that only 31% of the schools follow the teacher pupil ratio mandated by the Right to Education (RTE) Act.The survey, which examined around 7,500 students of 296 primary and upper primary rural schools, revealed that though the numbers have become better over the years but were still far from satisfactory.In 2010 only 6.7% schools had computers and after eight years, the number increased by a mere 3%.Uttarakhand’s performance was also significantly dismal compared to Kerala (considered to be the best in providing education) where 75.4% of schools had computers.Education department officials said that the schools do not have computers because the state government does not provide computers for primary schools. “We do not have computers in primary schools. There may be some cases where individual teachers have installed systems but the government provides computers only after Class VI,” said Seema Jaunsari, director of academic research and training.According to the survey, the student-teacher ratio in the state’s schools were also unsatisfactory with just over 30% of schools following the RTE guidelines of a teacher for 30 students in primary and 35 in upper primary schools.The survey also found that 33% of the schools in state do not have usable toilets for girls while drinking water facility wasn’t available in a quarter of them. The performance, however, has become better compared to 2010 when just 24% schools had toilets for girls.In another scathing indictment of the government’s claims of improved infrastructure, the ASER report states that 42% of schools do not have boundary walls and 32% of the schools do not have play grounds while states such as Haryana, which have consistently performed at sporting events, have playgrounds in 84% schools.State education director RK Kunwar said that the department is making efforts to provide basic infrastructure in the schools. “The state’s performance has increased over the years and efforts are being made to make the facilities better,” he said.

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