The State Government has provided approval for opening new DIET (District Institute of Education and Training) in three districts of Chhattisgarh namely Narayanpur, Bijapur, and Durg. Moreover, block-level Education-Training Institute will be opened in tribal populated blocks namely Farasgaon, Sukma, Bagicha, Antagarh, Bodla and Kusumi. This approval has been given in current fiscal year 2015-16.
School Education Minister Kedar Kashyap said that the State Government is emphasizing on providing training to teachers so as to improve quality of education in the State. last year, there were 45,223 untrained teachers in the State, out which training of 40,095 teachers had already been completed. Target of training remaining 5128 teachers will be achieved this year.
These centers will facilitate training and other facilities to teachers of tribal populated areas, he said. The Chhattisgarh Government is constantly making efforts to improve the student-teacher ratio in Chhattisgarh besides enhancing the educational facilities in State, officials stated.
As a result of these efforts, student-teacher ratio in schools of Chhattisgarh has reached close to the national average of 25 students per teacher. This ratio in primary schools of the State is around 23 students per teacher and in middle schools it is 24 students per teacher. likewise, the State also has 83 per cent of the children enrolled in Government schools.
While mentioning from the report of social service organisation ‘Asar’ Kashyap said that the State Government has been taking continuous measures to reduce the student-teacher ratio in the State so as to ensure sufficient number of teachers in schools as per the national average. Effective steps have been taken to enhance infrastructure of schools.
He said that in year 2010, only 79 per cent schools in State had their own offices, store-rooms or office-cum-storerooms. In year 2014, this figure has improved to 82.3 per cent. likewise, in year 2010, only 45 per cent of the schools had the facility of playground. But by 2014, this figure has increased to 64.2 per cent. Kashyap further stated that as per the survey, number of schools equipped with boundary walls has increased from 48.8 per cent to 60.8 per cent in last four years.
In the same period of time, the State Government took up a special campaign of providing lavatory and safe drinking water facilities in schools. In this campaign, the number of schools equipped with these facilities, which was 82 per cent earlier, has increased to nearly 90 per cent at present. Moreover, nearly 92 per cent schools have been equipped with the facility of lavatory in year 2014. Earlier, this figure was only 71 per cent previously. For Midday meal scheme, schools are being provided with kitchen facility. In year 2010, only 86 per cent schools had kitchen shades. This has increased to around 93 per cent in year 2014, officials stated.
On the other hand, Higher Education Minister Prem Prakash Pandey had announced early this year that ‘Smart Classrooms’ will be built in all Government colleges of the State. The colleges should send their budget proposals for the year 2015-16 as soon as possible, he said. He had stressed upon the need to improve the quality of education and completing the syllabus on time. Pandey stated that the college authorities should ensure that their institution premises have wi-fi facility.
The Minister had also directed that the professors and assistant professors besides other employees of the Government colleges will have to remain in college from 10.30 am to 5.30 pm. The teachers and staff of the colleges running in shifts will have to perform duty for minimum seven hours divided in shifts, he stated. A Circular on duty hours was issued to the principals of all the Government colleges by the Department of Higher Education, officials said.
The principals, professors, assistant professors, and other Government servants should remain in their offices during the prescribed time period and perform their duties. In case the staff is found absent without granted leave or permission, it will be considered as negligence towards work and action will be taken against him or her as per rules, the circular stated.