State school scerio dismal

Out of 47,818 primary schools, 37,560 do not have electricity

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI, April 3: The dismal state of affairs in vercular medium schools in the State was revealed before the State Assembly on Tuesday by none other than State Education Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma himself.

Sarma, while responding to questions on infrastructure and other facilities in schools raised by AGP MLA Phani Bhusan Choudhury, informed the Assembly that out of 47,818 lower and upper primary schools in the State, 37,560 do not have electricity,  and there is no playground in 20,828 schools, no boundary walls in 34,411 schools, no separate toilets for boys and girls in 2,445 and 965 schools respectively, and no drinking water facility in 3,578 schools.

On the other hand, Sarma said out of 3,531 high schools in the State, there is no electricity in 218 schools, no playground in 1,076 schools, no boundary walls in 2,908 schools, no toilet in 962 schools, and no drinking water in 572 schools.

Sarma said there are 39,986 lower primary schools and 7,832 upper primary schools in the State with 67,962 and 31,272 sanctioned posts of teachers. Out of the sanctioned posts, 7,169 and 4952 regular posts of teachers are lying pending in lower primary and upper primary schools respectively.