IMPHAL, Feb 23: A recent cabinet meeting held on February 14 has approved the upgradation of 67 Junior High Schools in the state to full fledged schools under the Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA).
According to an official source, the state government, after the implementation of the centrally sponsored scheme RMSA felt the need of upgrading the Jr High Schools to the High School level.
It further maintained that the state education department had made the proposal for the upgradation of the 67 schools under the centrally sponsored scheme which has the aim to achieve Universal Access and Quality Secondary Education by 2017 and 100 percent retention by 2020. The funding pattern under RMSA in respect of NE states is 90:10 between centre and state.
The matter was considered by the recent cabinet meeting held on February 14 under the chairmanship of Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh at his official bungalow, after the state education department provided its official report on RMSA where the norm of scheme is to made available a high school within the radius of 5 kms of any human dwellings or habitat and a Hr Secondary School within every 7-10 Kms.
as the concerned education department has provided the official report of the RMSA as the norm of scheme is to make available a high school within radius of atleast 5 Kms of any habitation and a Hr. Secondary School within 7-10 Kms from a habitation.
The source said, for Manipur, the project Approval Board (PAB) for RMSA for 2009-10 has approved 44 Jr. High Schools for upgradation to High Schools, further the PAB for 2010-11 held on January 24 last has approved another 23 Jr. High Schools for upgradation to High Schools.
These upgradations to High schools are at the rate of Rs.58.12 lakhs per school. Each of the upgraded schools will have four additional classrooms, a library, a computer room a science lab, Arts and Craft room, headmaster room, office room, toilet/drinking water facility, RMSA will provide the funding for the construction of the above components as per national RMSA norms, the source added.
In addition to the non-recurring grant for development of infrastructure for upgradation, RMSA will provide recurring grants to the new upgraded school which includes minor repair grant at the rate of Rs.25,000 per school, annual grant at the rate of Rs.40,000 per school, salary for 10 additional teachers at the rate of Rs.21.000 per teacher salary of one lab assistant per school at the rate of Rs.10,000 per lab assistant and salary for one library asst per school at the rate of Rs.15,000.
Considering all these facilities which will cover up with the implementation of the RMSA in the state the state cabinet in its meeting held on February 14 approved the upgradation of all 67 Jr. High schools including 13 Jr High Schools in Imphal West, seven in Thoubal district, eight in Chandel district, 14 in Ukhrul district, 12 in Senapati district, six in Tamenglong district and seven Junior High Schools in Churachandpur district the source added.
