Tripura mulls handing over schools to private bodies: CM

Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha on Monday said the State Government is considering amalgamating some schools and handing them over to reputed organisations such as the Ramakrishna Mission to improve the quality of education.

The NITI Aayog, in a recent report, pointed to a shortage of more than 8,000 teachers in Government-run schools in the northeastern State.

“We are planning to merge some schools and entrust their management to organisations or societies like the Ramakrishna Mission so that students receive quality education,” Saha told reporters.

He said many students, particularly in tribal areas, prefer English-medium institutions, leading to lower enrolment in Government-run schools.

“We are trying to create an environment in Government schools comparable to that of private institutions to attract more students. The Government is spending more than private schools,” he said.

Most government schools in Tripura are Bengali-medium, while a majority of private schools offer English-medium education. In 2021, the State Government converted 125 schools into Vidyajyoti Schools under the CBSE curriculum to improve educational standards.

The chief minister also said the dropout rate in the State has been steadily declining and highlighted the Government’s efforts to encourage girls to continue their education.

Describing child marriage as a major social concern, Saha said the Government has launched several initiatives to keep girls in school and help them become self-reliant.

As part of those efforts, the State has expanded its bicycle distribution programme for class 9 girls by removing the family income ceiling, making more students eligible for the benefit, he said.

Saha said around 41,800 class 9 girl students across Tripura are being provided free bicycles during the current financial year.