looking to address higher dropout ratio and improve tally of teachers at almost every level, the Government has expressed willingness to fill alarming vacancies persisting in educational institutions of Jharkhand. In the days to come, Government schools and colleges would go richer by 18,000 high school teachers, 2,200 principals and 38,000 assistant lecturers which are together expected to arrest the dropout rate in the State from slipping further.
Revealing her plans for the upcoming financial year, Human Resource Development Minister Neera Yadav informed the House on Thursday that the process of recruitment had been started and would continue in the State.
“Recruitment of teachers has been started and now 8447 posts are still vacant in primary schools. All the posts in the primary schools and of Urdu teachers would be filled within six months’ time. We have a challenge to fill up 18,000 posts in high schools in six months’ time. Thus the Government has formulated similar guidelines for all types of high schools. law and Personnel Departments have passed it and now after getting clearance from the Finance (department) the matter would come before the Cabinet.
JPSC has also been intimated for filling up 38,000 Assistant lecturers in colleges and universities of the State,” said the Minister. The workforce would be crucial to meet demand for Government’s ambitious plans in the field of education. During 2015-16 fiscal, the Government has announced a primary school at every one kilometer, upper primary at two kilometers, high school at five and +2 at every 7-8 kms. This apart, women’s college at every district has been planned and 156 middle schools are to be upgraded as high schools.
Reacting to the members’ concern over delay in distributing text books to school children, the Minister also announced that a dedicated Text Book Corporation in the lines of other states would also be set up in Jharkhand. “Text Book Corporation would be in place very soon. We are also investigating the delay having taken place and a committee of secretaries from Finance, Planning and Development is looking into it,” she said and added that in the new year the children would be given school kits comprising bag, notebooks, shoes and shocks.
The Government would also seek help from the PSUs to deal with shortage of toilets and potable water in the schools. Besides, Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya would be fitted with gyms and the girls would be given tablets. 56 blocks where KGBVs are not present the Government would come up with residential schools—Jharkhand Balika Aawasiya Vidyalaya of its own. The Budget has a provision for Rs 4,200 crore in the plan fund for 2015-16 for which ‘Demand for Grant’ got passed on Thursday.
More stress has been given on girl education by announcing CM Vidhya laxmi scheme for class 6 and above students. The beneficiaries belonging to ST/SC would be provided Rs 2,000 as stipend directly in their bank accounts which would be fixed. Financial assistance for purchasing cycles would also be credited in bank accounts.
“Proposal for setting up Jharkhand Engineering College is with the Centre and we are waiting for their nod. State’s first Women Engineering College would also be set up at Ramgarh. land for engineering college at Palamu has been identified,” added the Minister. She also eased process of attesting certificates in the State by making it self-attesting system.