Chief Minister Raghubar Das travelling to far-flung village Kushichara of Dumka knocked doors of the villagers persuading them to send their children to schools. The initiative has come under the Government’s ‘School chalen, chalayen’ drive continuing across the State.
The CM accompanied by his Cabinet colleague louis Marandi and Secretary of School Education and literacy Department Aradhana Patnaik also listened to the other issues of the villagers, ranging from drinking water to sanitation and jobs.
“He appealed to the villagers to admit their children into Government schools at any cost and added that the Government is providing all facilities in this regard free of cost. The villagers also narrated their ordeals relating to water, old age pension, house and other welfare schemes. The CM assured them to sort out the issues,” said the Secretary.
The CM also inaugurated a ‘shishu sadan’ at High School at Kushichara and formally opened the school admission drive. “My aim is to strengthen the educational system further. Only education can bring change in our life. We have to ponder why the children going to Government schools do not get quality education despite the teachers are paid good salary. At the same time we are also working to raise the standards of school at par with private schools,” said the CM addressing the locals.
The CM announced that school children would be sent for excursion outside the State and also appealed to the villagers to not to discriminate between boy and girl in providing them education. Das addressing children present there told them not to skip schools at any cost. He also facilitated mukhia of the village for ending school dropout and handed over education materials to the children.
Talking about Santhal Pargana, he said that the region can lead the State in terms of development. “There is no dearth of talent in the people of the region. What needed is just to provide them right direction. Some are misguiding them but I want to reassure here that no one can snatch away their land from them,” said the CM terming youths as fate of the country and the State.
He reiterated that eliminating poverty was his prime target and underlined the role of middlemen that, he said, had been coming in the way which would be abolished completely in the days to come.
Welfare Minister louis Marandi stressing over importance of education termed it the only way for growth. “The CM is so sincere about development of Dumka that he started the drive from here only,” said the Minister.
The Secretary on the occasion reminded the parents of their duty in sending their wards to school and added that just 100 per cent enrollment was not enough but regular attendance in schools. “Dropout rate in the State is 5.5 per cent but it is as high as 20 per cent in Santhal Paragana. You all have to play a role in improving the scenario,” said Patnaik. State Project Director Mukesh Kumar also stressed on children staying in schools.