Various organisations felicitated the State Education Minister Arvind Pande for taking the step of implementing the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) syllabus in the State. The various groups welcomed the Cabinet Minister to Haldwani on Sunday and held a programme to felicitate him for what they termed a “couragerous and historic” decision. The Minister also felicitated various persons for their achievements in different fields on the occasion. The chief minister Trivendra Singh Rawat also addressed the gathering telephonically on the occasion.
Addressing the gathering, the Chief Minister said that the State Government considers the service of the public and facilitating development of the poor its duty. Costly education had become limited to those who could afford it whereas education is the right of all irrespective of financial status. The poor also want their children to study and progress into responsible citizens who are socio-economically better. However, the high cost of text books was preventing many from securing the desired level of education. This is one of the reasons why the State Government decided to include the inexpensive NCERT text books in the curriculum. The general public of the State has also welcomed this decision. Implementation of the NCERT syllabus in the state will provide equal educational opportunities to children from poor families, said Rawat while also praising Pande for the move.
Addressing the gathering on the occasion, the Education Minister said that he himself and the Chief Minister too are from poor families which is one of the reasons why the State Government empathises with the economically weaker sections facing various problems. In order to provide inexpensive and easily accessible education to all children and provide equal opportunity to those frompoor families, the State Government decided to implement the NCERT syllabus in the Government and private schools across the State. Stating that inclusive development was a top priority of the State Government, Pande said that this was one of the reasons for the state organising the Grameen Khel Mahakumbh. About 2.5 lakh rural youth had participated in the rural games organised in the past. Stating that there is no dearth of sporting talent in the State, the Minister stressed on the need for identifying and developing such budding talent. He said that international sports stadiums in Haldwani and Dehradun were ready and soon national and international level sports events would be held in these stadiums. MlAs Banshidhar Bhagat, Naveen Dumka and former MP Balraj Pasi were also present on the occasion.