To ensure easier access to education in tea garden areas, the Assam government on August 1 announced of constructing 119 high schools in tea gardens of the state.
Addressing a press conference in Guwahati, Education minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said: “All tea gardens have primary schools, and middle level schools are there on cluster basis. Now, for the first time, the government will build high schools in 119 tea gardens with the locations identified by forming the tea gardens into clusters.”
He said the Public Works department has already invited tender for construction of the schools and the foundation stone will be laid at all the 119 locations on October 2 on the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti.
“Each school will be built at a cost of Rs 1.19 crore and there will be provision for expanding it to higher secondary level. If there are no bidders for any location, the deputy commissioner will form a construction committee; but work will start together from October 2 this year,” he added.
The minister said construction is targeted to be completed within 6-7 months so that enrolment can begin from the next academic year, which will start from April 1, 2021, as per revised academic calendar of the state.
Sarma further informed of opening science stream in 16 colleges of the state from this academic session, while a large number of schools, colleges and staff positions will be provincialised under the state’s existing policy with effect from January 1 next year.
