Jashpur launches Aakansha education project
Aiming to improve the quality of primary education in Jashpur district, an innovative concept ‘Aakansha’ has been launched. Aakansha involves an aspirational early grade literacy programme under the National Rurban Mission. UNICEF, Room-to-Read and the district administration have joined hands to accomplish the goal. Jashpur collector Nileshkumar Kshirsagar said the literacy-based training programme will enhance primary level school education in a big way. The modules and books are specially designed for Aakansha project.
Kitchen gardens in schools
To ensure that students get fresh vegetables in their midday meals, director, Directorate of Public Instruction S Prakash instructed schools to develop and maintain kitchen gardens on their premises. It will not only enrich nourishment in the midday meals but also turn schoolyards into a wonderful method for imparting practical education to children and teach them how to grow vegetables and fruits.
During his field visits and inspections, Prakash directed the educational institutions to compulsorily have gardens. Kitchen gardens are also being promoted in schools in Assam, Kerala, West Bengal and Gujarat. In October, the HRD ministry had issued guidelines for developing and maintaining kitchen gardens in all schools, both in urban and rural areas in the country.
Agricultural universities’ convention
Governor Anusuiya Uike asked vice chancellors of agricultural universities to prepare graduates who are proficient enough to secure jobs, adopt agriculture as a profession or launch agriculture-based industries. She asserted that the universities will have to go for the twin function of augmenting knowledge and value creation. The governor was addressing the 44th annual convention of the vice-chancellors of the agriculture universities at Raipur. The VC of the Raipur-based Indira Gandhi Agriculture University, S K Patil, said the Indian agriculture sector has witnessed major changes owing to global warming, alteration in environment and uncertain climate.
National tribal dance festival in Raipur
Around 1,400 folk artistes will perform during the upcoming national tribal festival to be held at Raipur from December 27. The three-day event will see the participation of tribal artistes from 23 states and guest artists from six countries, including Sri Lanka, Belarus, Uganda, Bangladesh. The artists can register themselves online. Over 4000 people will attend the programme from 10 am to 8.30 pm. The state government has invited the chief ministers of various states besides members of SAARC nations (except Pakistan) to grace the occasion at the Science College ground.