Foundation stones laid for model schools mission

IMPHAL, Aug 17 (DIPR)
In what could be termed as a historic move of the State Government, foundation stones for improvement of 60 Government schools under 'School Fagathansi' mission were laid at different places of the State today.
The main function was organised at the Cabinet hall of the Chief Minister's Secretariat, in which CM N Biren interacted with the dignitaries and officials of seven different schools through video conference.
During the interaction, he directed the School Fagathansi Mission Management Committees to work sincerely and ensure completion of the works within three months.
Speaking at the occasion, the Chief Minister said that the State Government is giving serious thrust to im- prove education system in the State.
Urging all Government teachers to carry out their duty with dedication, he stated that he has received information, although not confirmed, about sending substitutes by some teachers in their stead.
He asked all those teachers to immediately stop such malpractices.
Like in Manipur Police Department, CM said, the State Government is in active consideration to install biometrics attendance machines in Government schools to ensure availability and attendance of teachers at their respective place of posting.
Biren maintained that the Government had launched the 'School Fagathansi' mission to give a renewed thrust towards overall improvement of Government schools in terms of physical and manpower infrastruc-tural gaps and also to in- crease enrolment in Government schools.
He stressed that feedbacks gathered through 'Go to Village' and 'Go to Hills' missions have been an important input for the Government to mend certain gaps hindering development in the State.
The economic condition of the common people has not improved despite the Government's effort as a huge amount of money is generally invested for children's education.
As such, the Government has decided to enhance the condition of Government schools by initiating the mission, he added.
Biren also appreciated the Education Minister, Education  Department, teachers and public for their efforts and cooperation in making the mission a success.
He also said that around 2200 teachers/lecturers had applied for the model schools.
He informed that adequate number of motivated and committed lecturers/teachers would be posted in the 60 model schools.
Once a teacher is posted in these schools, he or she will remain posted for at least three years, he conveyed.
Additional infrastructure like classrooms, decent school campus, sufficient school furniture, outdoor gymnasium, separate toilets for boys and girls, drinking water facility among other basic requirements as per the Right to Education norms will be provided at the schools, he assured.
The CM also expressed happiness that most of the MLAs had shown willingness to contribute some portion of their Local Area Development Funds towards improvement of these schools.
Meanwhile, a proposal for financial assistance had been submitted to the North East Special Infrastructure Development Scheme (NESIDS) for infrastructural improvement of the remaining around 2000 Government schools in the State, he added.
Notably, Biren  launched the 'School Fagathansi' mission at a function held at Yumnam Huidrom Government High School, Wangoi, Imphal West District on January 18 this year.
Under the mission, one High or Higher Secondary School in each Assembly Constituency was selected in the first phase.
The schools will include classes from pre-Primary to Class X or Class XII, except in nine schools.
Enrolment in Government schools is targeted to increase from 26,000 at present to around 44,000 in the next academic session, remarked the Chief Minister.
Chief Secretary, Dr J Suresh Babu, Additional Chief Secretaries, Dr Suhel Akhtar and Letkhogin Haokip, Principal Secretaries Rakesh Ranjan and Vumlunmang Vualnam, Commissioner Education  T Ranjit, Commissioners Kh Raghumani, Bobby Waikhom and M Joy, Director Education  Th Kirankumar and officials of Education Department among others attended the foundation laying ceremony.