Pasighat: Arunachal Pradesh chief minister Pema Khandu on Friday said that his government is adopting several measures to improve quality education in the state, one of them being the recruitment of adequate number of subject teachers so as to fulfill the present shortage.
“A total of 400 posts were earlier created to regularise the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) teachers and more will be created in coming days for batch-wise regularisation. Hopefully, all the gaps will be filled by the next academic session,” Khandu who was in Pasighat to attend the golden jubilee celebration of the Government Higher Secondary School (GHSS), Bilat, said.
Acknowledging that quality of education in the state has dropped, the chief minister said: “Literacy has increased but with decrease in its quality.”
“Earlier, numerous schools were opened in the state. However, many of them are non-functional and in a dilapidated condition. The state today has excess teachers with a much better teacher-to-student ratio but with a shortage in subject teachers.
The chief minister also reiterated that the ‘No Detention Policy’ has been abolished to create a meritorious system and more smart classrooms are being added in coming years.
“At present, a total of 717 smart classrooms have been introduced with 800 more to come. Under the Chief Minister’s Samast Siksha Yojana, around Rs 100 crore will be spent for decentralisation in education. The deputy commissioner and deputy directors of school education will be empowered with more funds and authority to take decisions on matters of education,” Khandu informed.
He said the Sainik School in Pasighat is functional and two other Sainik Schools would also start this coming academic session.
Earlier, the chief minister unveiled the golden jubilee commemoration of GHSS, Bilat that expresses gratitude to voluntary contribution of the school alumni and the well wishers.
The chief minister also appreciated the ‘Golden Jubilee Project’ a voluntary initiative taken up by Dr David Gao, the project coordinator through which the school alumni and well wishers raise funds for the development of the school, which is mainly used in repairing of necessary school infrastructure such as toilets, classrooms.
He said the project has set a marvelous example of community participation in education in the state.
“When the community volunteers to contribute for development, the task of the government to deliver becomes easier,” Khandu said.
Further, while responding to a memorandum from the Golden Jubilee Project members, the chief minister assured a boundary wall and assured to take up the demand for science steam for GHSS Bilat.
The chief minister earlier inaugurated the residential-cum-coaching clinic in the township built under the Acharya Dronacharya Gurukul Yojana. Following the golden jubilee celebration, Khandu visited the Upper Primary School at Mirem and inaugurated the Rani Lakshmibai Girls Hostel of Donyi Polo Vidya Niketan in Ngorlung.
Also present on the occasion were BJP state president Tapir Gao, MLAs Tatung Jamoh, Kento Rina and Kaling Moyong, MP Ninong Ering and several other dignitaries.
