Delhi

Secondary enrolment drive

Seven states are in an advanced stage of implementing the Central govern-ment’s newly launched Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA) scheme designed to improve access to, and the quality of secondary education countrywide. According to sources in the Union HRD ministry, the RMSA projects approval board has cleared the proposals of Chhattisgarh, Kerala, Mizoram, Punjab, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh in early November. These states will receive assistance of Rs.489 crore from the Central govern-ment to implement RMSA projects which will require an estimated outlay of Rs.652 crore.

According to the RMSA board, 871 new secondary schools will be established in the seven states with 300 schools promoted in Uttar Pradesh and 280 in Chhattisgarh. The RMSA scheme, launched last year, aims at achieving a general enrolment target of 75 percent in classes IX-X within five years from the existing 52.26 percent.
 
Uttar Pradesh

Crackdown on teacher truancy

Over two dozen primary school teachers of UP’s Mainipuri district were suspended by the district administration on November 21, for being absent from classes during a surprise check conducted by the education department.

“As many as 26 primary school teachers have been suspended and directives issued to deduct one-day’s salary of 12 shiksha mitras (para teachers) for not taking classes regularly,” district magistrate Sachida-nand Dubey informed media personnel.

Punjab

Local government teachers’ agitation

An estimated 700 elementary trained teachers (ETT) from the Majha and Doaba regions of Punjab gheraoed the residence of local government minister Manoranjan Kalia in Jalandhar on November 22, protesting the “indifferent attitude of the state government” towards their demands. Despite heavy police deployment, the agitators staged a dharna before the minister’s residence.

The main demand of the ETT is that teachers employed in zila parishad (local government) schools should be classified employees of the state government education department. Beant Singh, president of the Jalandhar unit of ETT teachers union, also alleged that the Sixth Pay Commission recommendation of a ‘special pay award’ to ETT teachers had been ignored by the state government.

Assam

Renewed focus on education

Releasing Unicef’s The State of the World’s Children’s Special Edition report in Guwahati on November 20, Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi said that although there has been remarkable improvement in the condition of children, much still needs to be done for their welfare and development.

“To build a peaceful and prosperous country, it is essential to focus on education, health and social security of children,” he said speaking on the occasion. In particular, the CM stressed that in the backward and less developed rural areas of the north-eastern states, including Assam, children have suffered grievously due to insurgency, and special steps need to be taken to improve their lives.

Kerala

Higher secondary admissions scandal

Fifteen higher secondary school principals in the state were suspended on November 21, pending inquiry for alleged irregularities in class XI admissions. “Of 1,262 schools, where the admission process was checked, irregularities are reported in 15 schools. Government will take a decision on students who were admitted illegally,” says a press release issued by the state government’s directorate of higher secondary education.

A single centralised window system was introduced this year for higher secondary admissions with the objective of making the process transparent, and eliminating irregular admissions. A register of students admitted under the centralised system is also being maintained, according to directorate sources.

Orissa

Private colleges under scanner

Members of the Orissa legislative assembly, cutting across party lines, expressed concern over the “whimsical” fee structure of private engineering colleges in the state. “The state government has taken action in the past against private engineering colleges for charging excess fees. Action will be taken again on receipt of specific allegations,” industries minister Raghunath Mohanty told MLAs on November 25, while replying to an adjournment debate in the assembly.

Initiating the debate, BJP legislative party leader K.V. Singhdeo alleged a “nexus” between state government officials and private engineering colleges. “Biju Patnaik University of Technology has no control over privately run engineering colleges who loot students silently,” said Singhdeo while complaining that the state government’s fees structuring committee does not hold regular meetings.

Maharashtra

School buses policy framework

The maharashtra state government is framing a policy for school buses to ensure the safety of children. “A policy will be formulated for school buses within a month, which will ensure the safety and security of school going children,” Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil, the state’s transport minister informed the media on November 20.

Two school children were killed and 25 injured when their school bus caught fire at Navi Mumbai in August. In January 2008, six students of Millat School in Jogeshwari were charred to death after a van in which they were commuting to school caught fire.

The minister has convened a meeting of parents, teachers and transport associations to provide suggestions and objections before finalising the policy. “The safety of school children is our primary concern,” says Vikhe-Patil.