BHUBANESWAR: The Government has decided to establish model schools in all 314 blocks in the State, School and Mass Education Minister Debi Prasad Mishra informed members in the Assembly on Thursday.
Replying to a question from Chiranjib Biswal (Congress), the Minister said model schools will be set up in 173 educationally backward blocks under Rashtriya Madhyamik Siksha Abhiyan (RMSA) launched by the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD).
Proposals for 162 schools have been approved by the Ministry and construction work is on, the Minister said and added that proposals for 11 schools are under consideration.
The Minister said the State Government has decided to establish one model school in each of the 141 blocks which are educationally not backward. Out of these, construction of nine schools has been completed while 102 schools are under various stages of completion, he said. Tender process has been started for 51 schools, he added.
Members raised concern over opening new schools without proper infrastructure and adequate number of teachers. Sashi Bhusan Behera (BJD) wanted to know what will be the impact of such schools on other schools in the area. Government Chief Whip Anant Das wanted to know what process the Government will follow for recruitment of teachers in model schools.
Several Congress members criticised the State Government for shortage of teachers in the existing schools. Naba Kishore Das (Congress) alleged that when more than half of the schools in the State face problems for shortage of teachers and dilapidated buildings, what is the need for opening new schools.