PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE | Dehradun On the initiative of the Uttarakhand government the industrial houses have come forward to develop 550 government schools of the State. A memorandum of understanding (MoU) in this regard was signed between the Education department and industry representatives at Raj Bhawan on Wednesday at the ‘Building Future Ready Schools through CSR’ programme organised at Raj Bhawan. The initiative aims to modernise education and enhance the learning environment in the schools. It will be implemented in 550 government primary and secondary schools across the State with a particular focus on those in the mountainous areas. The objective as per the government is to provide these schools, situated in challenging geographic conditions, with adequate infrastructure through CSR funding. Addressing the programme, the governor lieutenant general ( retd) Gurmit Singh said that this is a decisive step towards strengthening the education system of the State and heralding a new era. “The adoption of primary and secondary schools by corporate groups and social workers is a practical and forward-thinking decision. It will enhance infrastructure, digital education, libraries, laboratories, sports facilities and other essential amenities,” he added. The governor appreciated the prioritisation of the schools in the hill areas. “It will ensure that children from remote locations receive equal opportunities,” he noted. Speaking on the occasion, chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said that modern facilities such as smart classrooms, libraries, science laboratories, sports equipment, clean toilets and computer labs would be developed in these schools. “The State government is committed to advancing a modern, quality-oriented education system,” he said. He also reminded the gathering that Uttarakhand is the first State in India to implement the National Education Policy (NEP)-2020. CM also highlighted his government’s efforts to bolster both the industrial and educational sectors in Uttarakhand. The Education minister Dhan Singh Rawat said that he had spoken with 294 industrialists, 280 of whom had agreed to adopt schools. “This aside, all MLAs in the State have pledged to assist with infrastructure improvements for one school each. Alumni are also interested in adopting schools. However, a lack of specific Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) has hindered their contributions. My department will issue SOPs soon to facilitate alumni involvement in supporting schools,” he added.
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