Dehradun to open short-term schools for migrant children

The Dehradun district education department will open special short-term schools for migrant workers' children who cannot complete the academic year in regular schools, and plans to launch a tracking portal for their educational status. Chief education officer Govind Jaiswal said similar schools were previously introduced in Nainital, noting that migrant families typically arrive after monsoon and stay until March-April, causing their children to drop out. The initiative operates under the Right to Education Act, with a portal to record students' educational history for nationwide use. The department will coordinate with police to identify eligible children, particularly those of mining and construction workers, and may open schools at large project sites. A survey is underway to count out-of-school children, following the recent identification of 444 girls who dropped out.