Guwahati, May 25: In a boost to the education sector, and a first since the country’s Independence, Assam’s tea estates now have high schools where students from or around the garden areas can attend classes.
As many as 96 model schools – “Adarsha Vidyalayas” – were inaugurated across tea garden areas of the state on Wednesday.
The Assam government had a couple of years back established the State-Owned Priority Development (SOPD) fund to set up 119 model high schools in strategically-located tea estates.
The state PWD was entrusted with constructing these schools at Rs 1.19 crore each in 17 districts of Assam.
Till date, tea gardens in the state only had LP (lower primary) schools and ME (Middle English) schools.
Inaugurating six model schools on Wednesday, including Tezpur-Ghagra tea estate, Rupajuli tea estate and Sonajuli tea estate in Sonitpur district, Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said the Adarsha Vidyalayas would start as high schools and offer HS (higher secondary) courses next year.
“This is a golden day for the state’s education sector as 96 model schools in tea gardens will be inaugurated today. The move will herald a new era of quality education in the tea garden areas. Eight teachers have been appointed in each school while around 15,000 students have been enrolled in the schools,” Sarma informed mediapersons.
“I am sure these schools will give a huge boost to education and ensure holistic development of the tea community. Access to education for all sections of the society is our government’s priority. For the first time in 75 years, with a focus on the tea community, we are setting up Adarsha Vidyalayas for their children,” the chief minister said.
Last month, while underlining the Assam government’s commitment for providing better academic opportunities to students from tea garden areas, the chief minister had asked the concerned deputy commissioners to take immediate steps for ensuring availability of necessary teaching-learning aid, including furniture for classrooms, along with computers in the schools.
The chief further informed that all the model schools would be named after renowned personalities from socio-cultural fields.
On the other hand, state education minister Ranoj Pegu informed that a total of 116 such schools would be ready in due course of time.
“We plan to have 200 such schools in the near future,” he said.
