Bihar

Secondary education drive

Recently returned to power in the state legislative assembly, the Janata Dal (U)-BJP government of Bihar has drawn up a plan to construct 410 model schools and upgrade 750 primary schools to secondary level. This initiative will be undertaken under the Central government’s Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA) programme, launched last year. According to Anjani Kumar Singh the state’s principal secretary (education), the Centre will provide Rs.1,300 crore to fund the 410 model secondary schools. Moreover an additional Rs.30 lakh per institution will be spent on upgrading 750 primary schools to secondary status.

The objective of the RMSA is to achieve an enrolment ratio of 75 percent for classes IX-X within five years by providing a secondary school within a reasonable distance of every habitation, and to improve quality of secondary education by making all schools conf-orm to prescribed norms.

Sikkim

English training programme

The State Institute of Education and technical education cell of the government of Sikkim have initiated a two-week English training programme for arts graduate teachers in the state. More than 200 teachers from all four districts of Sikkim have started learning contemporary ways and means to teach English language and literature.

During the inaugural function held at the Paljor Namgyal Girls Senior Secon-dary School in Gangtok on December 16, state HRD minister N.K. Pradhan stressed the role of teachers in trans-forming society. “Teachers should not focus on acquiring training but must take this opportunity to learn more about their subjects and become profes-sional,” he said.

Earlier, education secretary Ravi Telang emphasised that since English is the only medium of instruction in Sikkim’s schools, teachers should “take this programme seriously” and fully utilise this learning opportunity.

The English training programme is the latest state government initiative towards improving the quality of school education. On December 15, a 30-day training programme began at the Sikkim Manipal Institute of Technology, Rangpo for mathematics and science teachers of government schools.

Uttar Pradesh

AMU student unions legalised

Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) students who have been protesting against the varsity management for 78 days ended their agitation on December 20. The student activists were dem-anding legalisation of students unions, which were dissolved in 2007, and removal of senior university officials whom they blamed for rusticating more than 150 students during the past three years. They had staged demonstrations before the official residence of vice chancellor P.K. Abdul Azis for more than two months to press their demands.

The decision to call off the agitation followed an announcement made by the vice chancellor that all major demands of students will be fulfilled. In a statement, university authorities agreed to begin the process of restoring student union elections on January 3.

The vice chancellor, who had vacated his official residence due to the continued sit-in demonstrations by agitating students, returned to his lodge after 70 days of self-enforced exile. “We are grateful to the members of Parliament and some prominent alumni who have given us unstinted support for restor-ation of our democratic rights,” said Mushtaq Ahmed, a students’ spokes-person. Former MP and member of the university court Wasim Ahmed, who played a major role in resolving the present crisis, also welcomed ending of the impasse.

Meanwhile, the AMU Teachers’ Association has passed a resolution urging Justice A.N. Divecha, a member of the enquiry panel which is probing corruption charges against senior AMU officials and the vice chancellor, to withdraw his resignation.

Andhra Pradesh

Telangana agitation impacts Osmania U

Under pressure from pro-Telangana student organisations, Osmania Univer-sity authorities postponed scheduled examinations of some postgraduate programmes indefinitely. The Osmania University Students Joint Action Comm-ittee (OUSJAC) has been demanding postponement of exams until criminal cases booked against students during the Telangana agitation are withdrawn.

“In view of the prevailing situation, to save the academic year and safeguard the long term interests of students, it has been decided to commence classes for second and fourth semester of MA/M.Sc/M.Com/M.PEd on campus and in constituent and affiliated colleges of Osmania University from December 22,” said an official university statement.

The exams which were originally scheduled to start on December 8 were postponed to December 18, and were again postponed following protests by OUSJAC activists who attempted to gherao the vice chancellor T. Tirupati Rao on December 17.

The university authorities, however, reiterated that all other examinations of Osmania University including the MCA/MBA/Engineering programmes will be held as per schedule.

Orissa

Tribal student dropouts decline

To reduce primary school dropout percentages of tribal students, the Orissa state government announced the construction of one 100-bed hostel in all gram panchayats in scheduled caste areas within the next three years.

This assurance was given by Orissa’s minorities and backward classes welfare minister Bijay R. Singh Bariha in the legislative assembly on December 18.  There are 1,923 gram panchayats in backward tribal areas of the state.

To further reduce school dropouts in tribal areas, the minister stated that 1,004 girls hostels with 100 beds each were built in 2007-08 and another 1,040 hostels are under construction. “Students are being given all facilities such as food, clothing, shelter etc to encourage them to remain in hostels and continue their studies,” said Bariha.

According to the minister while 22.88 percent of tribal students had dropped out of primary school in 2006-07, the percentage dropped sharply to 6.46 percent in 2009-10.