A national invention campaign will be launched to increase students’ interest in science and maths. The National Innovation Council will be constituted to connect science with market. This was informed by Union Human Resources Minister Smriti Irani during a meeting with Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan here on Friday.
Chouhan said that quality of education has been affected as a result of abolition of Board exams for class V and VIII following implementation of the Right to Information Act. Keeping this in view, evaluation system of primary education should be re-started. He informed about the proposals sent by the state to the Centre for education development and improvement in its quality.
Higher Education Minister Umashankar Gupta, School Education Minister Paras Jain, Minister of State for School Education Deepak Joshi and Chief Secretary Anthony DeSa were also present on the occasion.
The Chief Minister said that 4.25 lakh children have been admitted in private schools in the state under Right to Education Act. The state government spent Rs 300 crore on the education of these children. Central government should also share this expenditure. Besides, funds should also be provided for providing free uniforms, text-books and other expenses. He said that in view of shortage of reading rooms in 1,253 higher secondary schools in villages, a proposal has been sent for Rs 150 crore has been sent to the Centre.
Number of new high schools needs to be increased for education of girls of rural areas in a large and widespread state like Madhya Pradesh. The state government has sent a proposal to establish 6000 new high schools and Rs 88 crore proposal for labs in 930 schools.
The Chief Minister said that constant efforts are being made to improve quality of education in the state. In view of state’s geographical condition, the rule to establish a high school in every 5 km radius should be relaxed. About 31,000 children are studying in 201 model schools in the state for whom hostel arrangements also need to be made. He said that state government has spent about Rs 600 crore on infrastructure for upgrading Sagar University as a central university.
The State government has decided to open a new university for affiliating colleges already in existence in Sagar. For this, a Rs 400 crore proposal is pending with the Central government. A proposal has been sent to construct hostels in 80 new engineering and polytechnic colleges in the state. He said that permission has also been sought from the Union government to start night shift ITIs in engineering and polytechnic colleges.
Union HRD Minister Smriti Irani said that there are several challenges in implementation of the Right to Education Act. A meeting will soon be convened in which discussions will be held with states on challenges of education at state, region and national levels. Programmes will be held in every district and lab is also upgraded to increase student’s interest in science and maths under National Invention Campaign. Students will be made aware about publication of research papers and patents.