To improve rural education, govt to set up 100 CBSE-pattern schools: MLA

The state government is moving ahead with a major education reform initiative aimed at providing modern, competitive and high-quality education to students in rural areas, said Dharampur MLA Chander Shekhar while addressing the annual prize distribution ceremony at PM Shri Government Senior Secondary School at Sajao Pipaloo in Mandi district yesterday.

He said that as part of these efforts, 100 new schools based on the CBSE pattern were being set up in the state so that rural children could receive the same standard of education as available in bigger cities. The introduction of English medium teaching from Class I and the establishment of CBSE-pattern schools reflected the visionary approach of the government towards transforming the education sector, he added.

The ceremony began with school principal Bhola Dutt Kashyap welcoming the chief guest and presenting the school’s annual report. He highlighted the achievements of the school in academics, sports, cultural activities and infrastructure development along with future plans. School Management Committee president Raksha Devi was also present on the occasion.

The MLA said that the continuous educational reforms had yielded positive results, elevating Himachal Pradesh from the 21st rank to the fifth position in national rankings. He added that a separate School Education Directorate had been set up to ensure quality education from Class I to XII, making the overall education system more robust and streamlined.

He expressed concern over the declining student strength in government schools and said that the dwindling enrolment posed challenges for the future of these institutions. He assured the gathering that the government was taking measures at various levels to address the issue.

Chander Shekhar urged students to stay away from drugs and instead engage actively in studies, sports and creative pursuits. He stressed on discipline, hard work and goal setting as the key for success. He also encouraged teachers and parents to guide children effectively at the right time.

The MLA said that the diet allowance of players had been significantly increased (Rs 250 per day for primary-level participants in state-level events, Rs 450 for others and Rs 500 for players competing outside the state). The daily sports nutrition allowance for children had been raised from Rs 120 to Rs 250. Besides, a 3 per cent job quota for players had been implemented, 18 new sports had been introduced and the prize money for national-level competitions had been enhanced, he added. He claimed that state-level sports events had been successfully organised in the region for the first time.

The MLA said that initiatives such as increasing the procurement prices of milk, cow dung and

natural-farming produce from farmers, including wheat at Rs 60 per kg, maize Rs 40 per kg and raw turmeric at Rs 90 per kg were strengthening the rural economy and providing financial stability to farmers.

He announced Rs 10 lakh for the modernisation of the school’s stage and installation of tiles in the stadium. He expressed gratitude to Raj Kumar Verma, founder of Sai Engineering Foundation, for facilitating the establishment of a library in the school. Besides, he sanctioned Rs 15 lakh for repairs at the Community Health Centre, Sajao Pipaloo.

The event concluded with students, staff and local residents welcoming the announcements made by the MLA and the government’s continued focus on improving education standard and rural welfare.