Patna, Aug. 21: A detailed survey on elementary education in India by National University of Educational Planning and Administration (NUEPA) has brought chief minister Nitish Kumar's tall claims of the state's achievements in education and its management under the scanner.

Bihar has the penultimate position in the Composite Educational Development Index. It stands 34th in rank.

Educational Development Index (EDI) has four decisive factors - access to the school, infrastructure, teachers and outcomes. A set of 24 indicators has been used to compute the EDI. The overall survey data of primary and upper primary levels of education comprises the Composite EDI.

Bihar, with the lowest literacy rate (69 per cent according to Census 2011) has launched over 20 projects and schemes including Bicycle Yojana and Poshak Yojana, but has ignored the basic facilities on the school premises.

Only 58 per cent schools in Bihar had separate toilets for girls in 2013-14.

Drinking water was available in only 88 per cent of schools - the lowest among empowered action group states. Poor infrastructure - especially lack of toilets - is reportedly a major reason for low enrolments in schools.

Bihar's gross enrolment ratio at the primary level (age 6 to 14; grade 1 to 8) is lower than 100, although education is now compulsory for all children aged between six and 14.

Only 46 per cent schools in the state have arranged for medical check-up camps for the students in the previous academic year.

The student-classroom ratio has come down from 79 to 57 in the past five years.

Expressing concern over the "poor quality" of teaching in the state in the last month, Nitish Kumar said the state government was spending 25 per cent of its budget on the sector.

The Nitish Kumar government announced Rs 3,100 crore for the education of children at the end of July.

"Almost 90 per cent of the total revenue is dedicated to the Bicycle and Poshak Yojanas, ignoring the rest of the development work. The separate toilets, sanitation, electricity, clean drinking water and good quality food still remain an important part of schools, which has been ignored since decades. There are many schools in Bihar run by a single teacher. We are still struggling for the basic needs - computers, medical check-ups and sports grounds," said a primary school teacher of Simultala.

There are only eight per cent of schools with electricity, while only 4 per cent have computer facilities for students.

Nitish Kumar claimed that the enrolment of girls had increased after initiatives like Bicycle Yojana and Poshak Yojana.This seems to be questionable as the enrolment of girls has stagnated to 49 per cent in the past five years in spite of these initiatives, causing them to be futile.

The drop-out rate for girls in 2011-2012 was 15 per cent. The state government had not submitted the data because it showed negative rates.

On being asked about the increasing dropout rates, the education department official kept silent.

When checked on March 31, 2015, Bihar had only completed about 31.7 per cent of the work for the Swachh Vidyalaya (clean school) programme.