Govt taking steps to reform education sector: Himachal CM

Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu today said that the state government was taking significant steps to reform the education sector so as to provide better facilities in its educational institutions.

He said that the government had taken a decision to restructure the State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT) and all District Institutes of Education and Training (DIETs) to strengthen the training mechanism for teachers.

“The SCERT has been made an apex institution for school and teacher training and its administrative control has been transferred to the State Project Director, Samgra Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA). Similarly, the administrative oversight of DIETs has also been given to the State Project Director, SSA,” he added.

Sukhu said, “Previously, the SCERT was under the Higher Education Department while the Elementary Education Department managed DIETs, leading to a lack of clarity in the policy regarding the deployment and transfer of teachers in these training institutions. The restructuring will provide much-needed clarity in the functioning of both entities.”

Sukhu said, “Established in 1954 as the College of Education, the SCERT has evolved over decades. It transformed into the State Institution of Education in 1970 and later was restructured as the SCERT in 1984. It’s core mission is to enhance the quality of education by providing in-service training to teachers and other educational personnel. Besides, it is also intended to serve as a hub of academic research, innovation and motivation by organising workshops and seminars on various educational issues.”

He said, “The government has also given a make-over to DIETs, which play a crucial role in providing pre-service and in-service teacher education programmes as well as conducting state and district-level educational research on various issues such as enrolment, retention and gender parity in education.”

He added, “Innovative practices of primary and upper primary teachers will be encouraged and shared through regular district-level seminars and newsletters. The state government remains dedicated to raising educational standards and improving teachers’ training mechanism.”

Not well, Sukhu cancels rallies in J&K

• Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu has cancelled his election meetings in the Doda area of Jammu and Kashmir tomorrow due to ill health
• He remained at Oak Over and cancelled all his engagements for the day
• Saturday morning, Sukhu visited the Indira Gandhi Medical College and Hospital for medical check-up
• A hospital spokesperson said that he was suffering from gastritis and so visited the hospital for an ultrasound test
• The ultrasound report is normal but since his routine tests are being done, doctors have advised him to take rest for the next three days, said Naresh Chauhan, Principal Media Adviser to Chief Minister