GUWAHATI: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma stated on Wednesday that the progress of 264 schools in the state through the PM Shri School scheme will contribute to advancing the New Education Policy (NEP).
The state government has chosen these schools for development, marking a significant milestone in Assam's education sector, as emphasized by the chief minister during the scheme's launch.
"With the blessings of Prime Minister Narendra Modi we have commenced the launch of these schools which will be equipped with modern infrastructure" Sarma said.
"These schools will also impart a discovery-oriented way of teaching and provide leadership to nearby schools in encapsulating the full spirit of NEP" he said. PM Shri school is a centrally sponsored scheme intended to develop more than 14,500 schools across the country and more than 20 lakh students are expected to be direct beneficiaries of the scheme.
The scheme will be implemented over a period of five years beginning from 2022. The chief minister also presented on the occasion the Anundoram Barooah award, comprising Rs 15,000 each, to 27,183 students who had passed the Class 10 examinations with 75 per cent and more marks.
He said that from next year this award will be converted to a scholarship to bring an environment of competitiveness among our students. ''The state government will invest Rs 45 crore for this project with 30,000 students from Class 5, 8 and 10 eligible to receive Rs 15,000 each after appearing for a competitive examination'', he said.
The Secondary Education Board of Assam (SEBA) which conducts the Class 10 examinations and the Assam Higher Secondary Education Council (AHSEC), conducting the Class 12 board examinations will be merged to form a single body from next year and it will conduct the higher secondary examinations, the chief minister said.
''According to the NEP, the earlier importance given to class 10 examinations will be done away with and we are trying to make the journey from Class 10 to 12 smooth. We will also introduce a comprehensive report card for all institutions to track the performance of students who appear in the HS exams in a given year'', Sarma added.
Education Minister Ranoj Pegu and Environment and Forest Minister Chandra Mohan Patowary were also present on the occasion.
