We’re planning to provide quarters for teachers serving in remote areas: Ranoj Pegu

Staff Reporter

Guwahati: Education Minister Dr Ranoj Pegu today announced that the state government is mulling the construction of quarters or hostel facilities for teachers serving in hilly and remote areas of the state.

The Education Minister stated this after attending the oath-taking ceremony for the members of the newly constituted Karbi Welfare Autonomous Council, held today at Banikanta Kakoti Auditorium, on the premises of Srimanta Sankardev Kalakshetra at Panjabari in Guwahati.

On the construction of quarters for teachers in remote or hard-to-access areas, Education Minister Dr Ranoj Pegu said, “There are many hilly and forest areas in the Kamrup (M) district, where people from the Karbi community primarily reside. The teachers as well as the students of schools in such areas face many problems. I questioned a teacher of a school located in such an area regarding his irregular attendance. He replied that it’s a remote region and that elephants appear frequently. When I enquired as to why he doesn’t stay in the village there, he said that no houses on rent are available. That is why I have today entrusted the Karbi Welfare Autonomous Council with the responsibility of ascertaining whether the construction of quarters for teachers in such areas is possible. The state government and the Council will together discuss the feasibility of such an initiative.”

Dr Ranoj Pegu also spoke about the reports regarding the closure of all primary schools with fewer than 30 students. “A fake report has been circulated claiming that all such schools will be shut down. The claim is completely baseless and false. The exercise is being conducted only for a survey,” said the Education Minister.

Education Minister Dr Pegu clarified that a school may be considered for closure only if there are other schools within a 1-kilometre radius and student enrolment is very low. “If three schools within the same area each have fewer than 30 students, those schools may be merged or closed as per the survey and rationalisation process,” he said.

It is to be noted that 26 members of the newly constituted Karbi Welfare Autonomous Council took an oath of office during a ceremony held today.

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