According to Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) 2008, the number of out of school children in Bihar has significantly come down to 5.7 per cent from the earlier 13 per cent of 2005.
Similarly, during this phase (2005 to 2008), the proportion of out-of-school girls (11-14 years age group) too has come down to 8.8 per cent in Bihar from the earlier 20.1 per cent. No wonder, the report makes a happy reading for everyone hoping for a turnaround in Bihar.
This is indeed a welcome change for Bihar because not long back, the number of schoolgirls quitting class before crossing the secondary level was found highest in the state.
The ASER compiled by the NGO Pratham after a national study was released in Delhi by Montek Singh Ahluwalia, deputy chairman of Planning Commission, last week.
While the progress is surely impressive, the Bihar education story surely has some scope for improvement because the state is still below the national average of 4.3 per cent out-of-school children - which includes both dropouts and children who never attended school.
In Bihar, flood-hit Araria district, where 12.3 per cent children are out of school, still tops the dubious tally of districts with maximum number of children not attending schools. It is followed by Sitamarhi (11.7 per cent) and Purnia (10 per cent).
On the other hand, Buxar with only 0.3 per cent children not attending schools tops the list of district with minimum number of out-of-school children. Buxar children have also been found best performers with 97 per cent students able to read, write and recognise number.