Ushering in a new era of academic excellence in tea garden areas in Assam, Chief Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma dedicated 96 newly built model high schools in tea garden areas of the State at a function held in Sonitpur district on May 25.
Dr. Sarma inaugurated Tezpur-Ghogora and Rupajuli Tea Garden Model Schools, Sonajuli Tea Garden Model High School, Nahoroni Model High School, Phulbari and Thakurbari Model High Schools as part of the exercise. The inauguration spree continued till May 30 with ministers, MPs and MLAs doing the honours.
Speaking on the occasion, the Chief Minister said that this is the first-of-its-kind effort by any Government in the State. He said that education will now be used as a tool to bring about overall development of the people of the tea garden areas.
“For the first time since Independence, schools have been set up in the tea gardens for children of the garden workers. This will herald an era of quality education for their children,” Dr. Sarma said.
The Chief Minister, while addressing a gathering, said that 14,594 students have been enrolled in these 96 model schools. Eight teachers have been appointed in each of these schools.
He said that these institutions have been named after personalities belonging to the tea tribe community or those who have rendered yeomen services towards the socio-economic and academic uplift of the community. The Model school in Tezpur-Ghogora has been named after Swahid Mangri Orang, Rupajuli Tea Garden Model School as Amiyo Kumar Das Model High School, Sonajuli Tea Garden Model High School as Swahid Hemlal Kalandi Model High School. The State Government in the forthcoming academic session will upgrade these model high schools to higher secondary schools, in phases, with free education for children from tea garden areas.
“It’s an attempt to rectify old mistakes. If previous Governments had set up high schools in tea garden areas, the State would have benefited,” he said adding that subjects like Mathematics and Science shall be taught in English medium so that students can excel in their academics and be ready for the future.
For the management of these schools, ₹ 1 lakh each has been earmarked out of which ₹ 25,000 have been released to them. Students in these schools will be entitled to free textbooks, free mid-day meals and free uniforms.
Chief Minister Dr. Sarma also called upon guardians of the students belonging to tea garden areas to send their wards to schools to ensure their bright future. He announced that for setting up ‘Jagannath Sewa Kendra’ all 800 tea gardens in Assam will be given ₹ 1 crore each.
