The Departments of School Education and literacy, Drinking Water and Sanitation, Panchayati Raj in partnership with UNICEF announced the winners of the ‘Swachh Bharat-Swachh Vidyalaya’ awards on Wednesday. A total of 40 Government schools that received ‘5 Star’ rating were given cash award of Rs 1 lakh each by Chief Minister Raghubar Das at a felicitation ceremony organized on the premises of the Jharkhand Academic Council (JAC).

During the award ceremony, the CM emphasized on imparting quality education among the children studying in government cradles across the State while assuring that the State government will do its best in providing all basic amenities in the government schools.

“Our focus is on strengthening the education system. Through appointing quality teachers, ensuring benches-desks, drinking water facility, electricity and construction of toilets, attempts are being made to improve the status of government schools functioning. Focus is also on curbing the dropout rate,” said the CM.

Meanwhile, the CM said that appointment of teachers will be done by July 2018. Suggestions like grading schools on a scale of A-B-C were given by the experts to improve the overall condition of the government schools. For the first time, Rs. 12 crore from the State budget was allocated for awarding the 5 and 4 star schools. “The Government is committed to set high standards in government schools at par with private schools functioning in the State,” the CM further added.

Also, the CM directed the District Superintendents of Education (DSEs) to conduct field visit at a regular interval while he advised officers to regularly meet school principals to keep a tab on school activities and other related issues. Principals and school teachers were advised to make financial contribution for keeping their respective school premises clean.