DW BUREAU / Shimla

Horticulture will be introduced as a vocational subject in schools affiliated with Himachal Pradesh Board of School Education (HPBOSE), Education Minister Rohit Thakur said on Thursday.

Chairing a review meeting with senior officers of the Education Department and the HPBOSE to assess the progress of various educational schemes and discuss key matters concerning the department, Thakur said the decision to include Horticulture as a vocational subject in schools was taken in the meeting.

He instructed HPBOSE to prepare a suitable curriculum for the subject and submit the proposal within two weeks and also emphasised the need to revive important academic subjects, such as Public Administration, in colleges to offer students a broader choice of disciplines, a statement issued here said.

The minister reviewed the implementation of several important initiatives, including the Rajiv Gandhi Model Day Boarding Schools and Atal AdarshVidyalayas. He directed officials to expedite the recruitment process to ensure timely filling of vacancies in schools and colleges.

Addressing recruitment-related issues, he said that all genuine demands of school management committee (SMC) teachers would be sympathetically considered and taken to the cabinet for appropriate action.

He mentioned that the department has completed all formalities related to pending promotions and the matter of promotion of Principals has been forwarded to the Himachal Pradesh Public Service Commission for necessary steps.

He instructed officials to ensure early completion of National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) assessments for colleges and to work towards setting up well-equipped libraries to promote academic excellence and learning resources for students.

Thakur expressed serious concern over the widespread damage to educational institutions caused by recent natural disasters. He said that around 510 institutions have been affected, with estimated losses amounting to Rs 30 crore.

The Minister stressed the importance of engaging young minds in educational and creative activities and proposed organizing a plantation drive under the 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam' initiative near disaster-affected areas. He also directed officials to hold Bal Melas and science exhibitions for children under 12 years of age to provide them with new experiences and inspire curiosity at an early age.

The Education Minister during his recent visit to Delhi, he held discussions with Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. He had apprised him of the damages caused to educational institutions in the State and urged the Centre to release the pending Rs 180 crore under the Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA) scheme, the statement said.

(editor@dailyworld.in)