Minister for Tribal and Scheduled Caste Development Kedar Kashyap on Monday directed his department officials to accord top priority to children from far-flung regions of the State while giving admissions in the Eklavya schools.
He was chairing State-level review meeting for the activities underway at the Eklavya Residential schools across the State at the Mantralaya here.
It was informed in the meeting that there are a total of 12 Eklavya Residential schools currently operational in the State. Out of the 3,780 sanctioned strength of the seats for the schools, a total of 3,036 children are currently enrolled in the schools.
Kashyap after receiving the details in the meeting on the number of enrolments in Eklavya schools, directed that the rest of the 744 seats be filled up at the earliest.
He said that approval had been received for four more new Eklavya schools in the State during the current year.
Kashyap also directed that proposals be prepared for opening of the Eklavya Residential schools also in Gariaband, Balod and Mahasamund districts.
The Minister stressed that the children from Naxal affected regions also be offered priority in admission to Eklavya schools.
He also directed that there must be mandatory inspection of schools, ashram schools and hostels by the departmental officials.
The Minister stated that following mandatory inspection of the schools, every officer must submit a report through their superiors to the Department.
During the meeting, Kashyap also reviewed the various scholarship schemes of run by the Department.
Another meeting chaired by the Minister was related to the activity of the Chhattisgarh Tribal Welfare Residential School and Ashram Educational Institutional Cpommittee’s Governing Board on Monday.
During the meeting, Kashyap directed the officials that high teaching standards be maintained in the Eklavya Residential schools for the Standards sixth to 12th with special attention paid to the good quality of lodging and boarding of the students.
Meritorious children need to be identified and offered admission in the Eklavya schools with the effort that they score a minimum of 98 per cent marks in the examination, he said.
The teachers of Eklavya schools which do good results should be honoured with a state-level award, the Minister said.
Kashyap during the meeting also awarded three teachers teaching subjects of Maths, Science and Hindi at the Kaharasia (Mudpar) Eklavya Residential School.
The Minister stated that a state-level meeting to review the working of the Eklavya Residential schools must compulsorily be held atleast twice a year in the State.
The Eklavya schools are currently running in Kaprawand village (Bastar), Antagarh (North Bastar), Mainpat (Surguja), Shivprasad Nagar (Surajpur), Chote Mudpar (Kharsia) (Raigarh), Taregaon Forest, (Kabirdham), Sanna (Jashpur), Katekalyan, Dantewada (South Bastar), Pendri ( Rajnandgaon), Ghatghora (Korba), Bhairamgarh ( Bijapur) and Khadgava ( Korea).
This apart, a total of four new Eklavya Model Residential schools are being planned in Mardapal (Kondagaon), Narayanpur District headquarters, Besuli (Bastar) and Dongariya in Marwahi Development Block in Bilaspur district.
The Minister also suggested that a residential school should be opened in the Mada Paket region of Mahasamund district.
The meeting today was attended by Commissioner Tribal and Scheduled Caste Welfare Department M S Paraste besides Assistant Commissioners, principals of Eklavya schools and senior officials of the Department.