JAJPUR: In what can bring relief to tribal students of nine gram panchayats under Sukinda Chromites valley, Jajpur administration has decided to begin Plus Two courses in two high schools of Sukinda block in the district. Collector Chakravarti Singh Rathore has written to the principal secretary to the state government of the Department of School and Mass Education on the matter.
Sources said, the courses in higher secondary schools will be opened in Kaliapani High School and Mahamayee Government High School at Kuhika where arts, science and commerce courses will be offered. The infrastructure and other expenses including salary of the faculty for the purpose will be borne from DMF.
Seeking permission for introduction of the Plus Two courses, Rathore, also the managing trustee of the district mineral fund (DMF), has stated, “Education is an important sector coming under high priority of DMF. The district administration has planned for opening of plus two courses in all three disciplines in two high schools under Sukinda Chromites valley. These two projects are highly essential as students have no access to higher education in the area.” The letter further stated the DMF trust board has already given consent for the courses at its recently held board meeting.
Hundreds of students face inconvenience in pursuing Plus Two as no higher secondary school has been it in the area. As a result, the students are forced to go to Sukinda college which is around 25 km away. And in the absence of public transport system, it becomes all the more a challenge for the students.