Noida (UP), November 7. India Inc tycoons Ratan Tata and G.M. Rao were conferred honorary doctorates by Amity University at its annual convocation which awarded degrees to 6,900 graduates and 42 doctorate scholars. Union human resource development minister, Dr. Ramesh Pokhriyal was the chief guest.
While Tata was honoured in absentia, Rao, chairman of the Delhi-based GMR Group, a big name in infrastructure industries including civil airports construction, said it was an honour to receive the doctorate together with his “role model”.
Addressing graduating students, Pokhriyal said: “The Central government will soon be releasing its National Education Policy after a gap of 33 years which will empower the country based on the prime minister’s vision of ‘new India’.”
Andhra Pradesh
English medium fiat
Ongole (prakasam), November 14. Andhra Pradesh chief minister Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy launched the state government’s nadu-nedu (language provision) programme to introduce English as the medium of instruction in classes I-VI of government schools. “There will be some difficulties in implementing this scheme, but they can be overcome,” said the chief minister at a function organised at PVR High School to mark the occasion.
The nadu-nedu programme will be implemented in 15,715 state government schools in the first phase, and will gradually be extended to cover all schools in the state within three years, at an estimated expenditure of Rs.12,000 crore. For the first year, Rs.3,500 crore will be spent on infrastructure development, says an official statement.
Under the scheme, the government will also equip all public schools with requisite infrastructure including English language learning labs, separate toilets for girl students, drinking water, compound wall, blackboards etc.
Haryana
Climate change learning
Chandigarh, November 16. Haryana’s deputy chief minister Dushyant Chautala has written to the Union HRD minister Ramesh Pokhriyal, urging him to introduce climate change and sustainability lessons in school curriculums from the academic year beginning 2020-21.
“Climate change is a major challenge faced by developing countries, including India, having a severe impact on the health of our citizens. Therefore, climate change and sustainability lessons must be introduced in school curriculums countrywide. Such learning and awareness must begin from primary education so that future generations realise the importance of climate and sustainable development,” he wrote.
Odisha
Water drinking initiative
Berhampur (Odisha), November 24. Following in the footsteps of India’s southern states (Kerala, Karnataka, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh), Odisha is all set to introduce water break bells in its schools.
“This is to ensure that children drink adequate quantities of water and remain hydrated,” said Ganjam district collector Vijay Amruta Kulange, addressing media personnel.
All schools in Ganjam district including government, private and anganwadis, have been instructed to ring three ‘water bells’ daily with immediate effect, she said.
Meghalaya
Small schools shut-down plan
Shillong, November 28. The state government has drawn up a plan to shut down or withdraw financial aid to government schools with enrolments below ten students, and reallocate its grant to improve and upgrade other education institutions. About 221 lower and upper primary schools in the state have single-digit enrolment. Because of teachers’ salaries and overheads, the government incurs an annual expenditure of Rs.20 crore on these schools, said Lakmen Rymbui, Meghalaya’s education minister, addressing the media.
“Schools which don’t have additional education institutions in the vicinity will continue operating despite having five or ten students. No student will be deprived of education,” said the minister. “Teachers of those schools that will shut down operations will be redeployed to education institutions with faculty shortages,” he added.
Goa
Social awareness lessons
Panaji, November 28. School and college students statewide will be given lessons on road safety and spreading the spirit of peace, harmony and brotherhood. This initiative has been undertaken to promote civic consciousness among school and college students, said Vandana Rao, Goa’s director of education.
“A grant-in-aid scheme titled marg suraksha (road safety) has recently been introduced in this connection. Schools and colleges that establish students clubs to raise awareness of road safety and promote harmony and spirit of brotherhood will qualify for these grants,” said Rao, addressing media personnel
