Pvt schools get more funds

SHILLONG, APR 17: To ensure the growth and development of education in the state, Meghalaya deputy chief minister – in-charge education – RC Laloo informed that the state government is spending 85 percent of the budgetary allocation as grant-in-aid to private schools and only 15 percent is being spend on government owned schools.

Laloo told the assembly on Wednesday of the total amount of Rs 1329 crores in 2011-2012, Rs 15, 272. 49 lakhs have been spend on each category of schools in the state of which Rs 2409.59 lakh and Rs 944.45 lakhs were allotted to government secondary and higher secondary schools, Rs 8399.81 lakhs and Rs 1330 lakhs for deficit secondary and higher secondary schools, adhoc secondary and deficit pattern secondary schools were allotted Rs 760 lakhs and Rs 5.64 lakhs respectively.

Answering to a cut motion moved by GNC legislator Clifford R Marak  Laloo informed that though the education department was given the highest budgetary allocation, but he informed that  about 75 to 80 per cent of it is spent on the payment of salaries and grant-in-aid to the aided schools. He said now the government has also enhanced the salaries of the private school teachers.”

Meghalaya has a total of 2193 deficit schools – 1920 are LP schools, 136 – UP schools, 121 – secondary schools and 16 higher secondary schools. Of the total 6203 deficit teachers, 3771 are teaching in the LP schools, 737 – UP, 1969 – secondary and 126 in higher secondary schools. There are 386 ad hoc secondary schools and 16 ad hoc higher secondary schools besides 844 ad hoc upper primary and 1225 ad hoc lower primary schools.

Laloo said that the government has taken a stand that it should invest more for improvement and development of its own infrastructures.

Highlighting on the steps taken by government, Laloo said, “The first step taken by the government is to establish more residential schools in the backward blocks of the state and also the model schools in the educationally backward blocks of the states,” adding “Besides this the state government will also take steps to provide residential and hostel accommodations to the rural students in all the district headquarters of the state.”

Laloo also informed that in collaboration with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) the state government will also provide financial assistance to 117 private secondary schools) for improvement and development of its infrastructures in 2013 – 2014. He said, “This assistance will be in form of long term soft loan to the government of India and the selected schools will have an opportunity to improve their existing infrastructure as well as improve the quality of teaching and learning.”- By Our Reporter