Correspondent
BILAT, Jan 18: The state government is taking steps to reform the education sector by decentralizing funds for implementing schemes of the education department, Chief Minister Pema Khandu said on Friday.
“The government has allocated fund for implementing the Chief Minister Samast Siksha Yojana (CMSSY) and the Chief Minister Adhunik Pathsala Yojana (CMAPY) to improve infrastructure of the educational institutions and set up smart classrooms in the government-run schools,” Pema said while attending the golden jubilee celebration of the government higher secondary school (GHSS) here in East Siang district.
He said his government has allocated Rs 100 crore under the CMSSY for improvement of school infrastructure, and another Rs 35 crore for installation of smart classrooms. He said the government last year took up installation of 717 classrooms under the CMAPY and is targeting to create 800 smart classrooms this year.
“The district administrators and local officers are aware of the problems of the educational institutions of their respective areas, so the district level committees led by the DCs and the DDSEs have been assigned to monitor these schemes,” Pema said, adding that the government has created 400 regular posts for SSA teachers.
He also said feedbacks from community organizations and women and youth groups of the state were taken while preparing the annual budgets of the last two years.
Speaking about the reported shortage of subject teachers in various secondary schools, the chief minister said his government is set to recruit more than 1000 subject teachers to meet the shortfall.
Pema, who opposed the erstwhile ‘no detention policy’ of the education department, said the policy had degraded the quality of school education.
Responding to a memorandum demanding a boundary wall around the GHSS here, he instructed the Ruksin ADC to conduct a location survey and forward a DPR for approval. Another demand made in the memorandum was introduction of science stream in the GHSS. The CM asked the DDSE to prepare a ground report in this regard.
Among others, MP Ninong Ering, state BJP president Tapir Gao, local MLA Tatung Jamoh and celebration committee coordinator Dr David Gao spoke.
The CM later visited the upper primary school in Mirem and took stock of the renovation work being done there with contributions from the villagers and well-wishers.
He also inaugurated the RCC girls’ hostel of the Donyi Polo Vidya Niketan in Ngorlung village, and addressed a public gathering there.
The hostel has been constructed by the Arunachal Shiksha Vikas Samiti under its ‘extension of education programme’, at a cost of Rs 70 lakhs.
Earlier, Pema opened the Gurukul Dronacharya ‘accommodation-cum-coaching clinic’ and inaugurated the first model residential school in Pasighat.
He later attended the observance of the first death anniversary of former minister Tako Dabi at the latter’s residence in Nari in Lower Siang district.
The CM paid floral tribute and homage to the late leader. Stating that Dabi’s demise was an irreparable loss for the state, he gave assurance that an educational institute would be established and named after Dabi to keep his memory alive.
