PALAMPUR: Enrolment of students up to elementary level that is up to 8th standard in Himachal Pradesh had reached at 99.67 percent and dropout rate had come down to 0.33 percent which is negligible. This was disclosed by the Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal while talking to a group of media persons from Kangra district few days back who met him at his residence, he said this was one of the major achievements of his government in education sector. At present state had total number of 17,408 educational institutions and out of it 15,045 were in government sector and only 2,365 in private sector.
Chief Minister said that Himachal Pradesh had best educational infrastructural facilities in the country as needed for qualitative education. State Government had decided to exempt the students of 8th Standard from undertaking HP Board of School Education Examination from this session onwards. Besides, with am aim to reduce the the burden of books only one book was being taught to students of first and second standard in the state. He said with a view to improve quality of education at elementary level “Adhar Programme†would be launched in Chamba district with the assistance of NGO.
Chief Minister said that under new education plan five model schools in educationally backward blocks of Chamba and Sirmor districts were being opened soon. State was working on upgrading eight of its district level government degree colleges as “Centres of Excellence†while the first such college had already started functioning at Shimla.
Dhumal said state had distinction as in most of the educational institutions girl students were outnumbering boys and securing position in merit which is a healthy sign. He said that there were 22,040 special children in the State out of which 19,634 had been integrated into schools and only 2,397 who were severely challenged were unable to attend regular schools and efforts were afoot to provide them home based education through by requisitioning the services of NGOs in the field.
He said that Mid Day Meal was being provided to 7,75,263 children in 15,167 schools at primary and upper primary level and honorarium of cook-cum-helpers working in school was increased from Rs. 400 to Rs. 1,000 per month this year.
Chief Minister said that the government had decided to notify the up -gradation of educational institutions and simultaneously manpower required to make the same functional was also being provided, synchronization of vacation schedule was also being studied closely and teacher’s skill up gradation was being finalized.
A senior journalist from Palampur.
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