DW BUREAU / Shimla As many as 850 educational institutions in Himachal Pradesh would be developed as Institutions of Excellence in the 2024-25 fiscal, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said on Saturday as he allocated Rs 9,560 crore from the budget to the education sector. According to him, 500 primary schools, 100 high schools, 200 senior secondary schools and 50 degree colleges would be developed as Institutions of Excellence. Smart classrooms and other facilities would be provided in these institutions with full strength of teachers and their performance will be evaluated periodically based on objective criteria, Sukhu said. Monthly review of schools would be mandatory and a system of annual ranking of institutions for performance-based grants will be started, the chief minister said. Eligible Anganwadi workers will be allowed to be selected as nursery teachers, he said, adding that 6,000 nursery teachers will be appointed in the next financial year. At present pre-schools are being run in more than 6,000 primary schools in Himachal Pradesh. To develop a sense of respect for their institution among teachers and children, schools have also been given the right to choose the uniform in consultation with the parents. Separate schools or colleges for girls and boys would be merged in consultation with the locals, the chief minister said, and the state government will bear the cost of transportation of students from areas where there are no primary schools within a radius of 3 to 5 kilometres. He also announced to provide water bottles to 8.50 lakh students studying in government schools in the state. The curriculum being taught in the state will be re-evaluated in the context of Constitutional values and the rich cultural heritage of the state will be given representation in it. For this, courses on the history and culture of Himachal Pradesh, the Indian Constitution, health and other subjects of general knowledge will be started compulsorily from class 5, Sukhu said.
(editor@dailyworld.in)