High schools have been established in Assam’s tea garden areas after 75 years, said Assan Chief Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma today.
He said that the academic year of 97 newly-established Model High Schools in the tea garden areas, along with 13 new Model High Schools in the state, will begin May 10.
The Chief Minister said this while addressing the principals and teachers of newly established Model High Schools in Tea Garden areas during an orientation programme at Srimanta Sankardeva Kalakshetra in Guwahati.
The Chief Minister said that the State government, to augment the academic environment in the tea garden areas, took the step of setting up 119 Model High Schools, out of which 97 schools have been completed and academic sessions for the year 2022-23 in these schools will start from May 10.
“It was for the first time that after 75 years of India’s independence, high schools were set up at tea garden areas,” Sarma said.
He informed that the remaining 22 model high schools in tea garden areas will be made functional from the next academic year.
Moreover, the State government is going to set up another 81 model high schools in tea garden areas and the newly-established Model High Schools will be upgraded to Higher Secondary Schools.
Apart from mid-day meals, the government is planning to provide breakfast to students at these schools, the Chief Minister added.
Stating that presently two kinds of teachers are appointed in Model High Schools in Tea Garden areas, the Chief Minister informed that while one set of teachers is recruited specifically for these Schools, another set of teachers is transferred and posted at these schools from already provincialised schools.
Dr Sarma also said several TET teachers with postgraduate degrees are working in primary and ME schools. So, the government is planning to allow them to join the Model High Schools in Tea Garden areas if they are willing to dedicate their service to the betterment of education and welfare of the Tea garden population. However, they will continue to get a salary from their previous post, he said, adding that this will give them better exposure.
Stating that it was a unique opportunity for the teachers of the model high schools as they have got an opportunity to contribute meaningfully to uplifting the lives of the tea garden population who have remained neglected for all these years, Dr Sarma said, “You have got this opportunity to be a part of the history while it is being created as this initiative is not only unique but also unprecedented”.
The Chief Minister also urged the Principals to dedicate themselves to transforming the model high schools into ideal educational institutions. He also asked the Inspector of Schools to make frequent visits to these schools to support and guide the teachers and the students.
The Chief Minister further said that the state government intends to develop this initiative as a successful model for the rest of the country to follow. For this purpose, he will meet the principals of these schools after around three months to understand their experience and develop a roadmap for additional efforts needed.
He also informed that the State government is working with a vision to set up one Model School in each assembly constituency.