ITANAGAR: Merging low-enrollment public schools will solve most problems in the public education system, Arunachal PradeshMinister of Education Install Dorjee Sona said. The minister, who is on a tour to review the follow-up of ‘Chintan Shivir’, said the merger of schools should be done according to the availability of infrastructure, land and access to basic amenities through a pragmatic approach.
“Our vision is to provide quality education to every child from the primary level itself through clubbing and amalgamation of primary schools and providing quality infrastructure and better human resources, among other interventions,” Sona said on Friday while visiting Yingkiong, the headquarters of Upper Siang district.
The Ministry of Education conducted a three-day ‘Chintan Shivir’ in August. During the meeting, stakeholders discussed strategies to ensure quality education to every child in the state.
“We have embarked on a mission to reach out to the people in every district of the state and know their ideas and ground situations so that there are no hurdles during the implementation of the programmes,” Sona said.
He said that schools’ clubs should be taken up as a mission for the brighter future of students.
Advisor to Minister of Education Mutchu Mithi said that instead of quantity, the focus is on improving the quality of education in the state.
Upper Siang Deputy Director of School Education Duhon Tekseng, in a submission to the minister, sought more teachers, a science stream for the Mariang Government Higher Secondary School, renovation of schools and teachers’ quarters.
In July, Sona told the assembly that over 600 schools had been closed or merged with other schools in the state.
Arunachal Pradesh has over 2,800 government-run junior, high, middle and high schools. There are over 7600 regular teachers and more than 5900 ISSE (Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan teachers).
There is a shortage of 414 trained graduate teachers (TGTs) and 186 PGTs in the state, including in mathematics and science, officials said.
Arunachal Pradesh Education Minister Proposes Merger of Low Enrollment Schools for Quality Education – Times of India
