Agartala: Jan 15: Concerns have been raised over the quality of education in Tripura’s 125 Vidya Jyoti schools by Congress MLAs Gopal Chandra Roy and Sudip Roy Barman during the third day of the Tripura Legislative Assembly’s winter session.
The MLAs highlighted several issues, including a shortage of teachers for newly introduced subjects like music, art, and yoga. They also pointed out that students at Agartala’s Boys’ School are forced to eat their mid-day meals in the corridors, and parents are dissatisfied with the results of Vidya Jyoti schools, leading them to enroll their children in regular government schools. Additionally, there are concerns about the competency of both new and existing teachers in these institutions.
In response, Education Minister and Chief Minister Professor Dr. Manik Saha outlined the government’s initiatives to address these challenges. He mentioned the existence of a specific guideline for the 125 Vidya Jyoti schools and informed the House about the recruitment of teachers for subjects like economics, geography, psychology, and sociology. The Tripura Teacher Recruitment Board (TRBT) has issued a notification for 200 posts for special educators, of which 88 have been filled. Additionally, posts for physical education teachers, librarians, and 118 computer education teachers have been filled.
The Chief Minister emphasized the government’s commitment to improving the educational situation in these schools. He also addressed concerns about the sudden shift from Bengali to English as the medium of instruction, stating that these schools are gradually transitioning from Bengali to English medium. Furthermore, 41 training camps are being conducted by CBSE experts, and a CBSE Center of Excellence has been established with the assistance of Central Schools and Ramkrishna Mission.
Review meetings are being conducted by District Education Officers, and virtual conferences for principals, appointment of district coordinators, and provision of sample question papers for Class 10 and 12 students have been arranged. Special classes are also being conducted for Class 10 and 12 students to improve their performance in board exams.
The debate highlights the challenges faced by the Vidya Jyoti schools in Tripura, including a shortage of teachers, inadequate infrastructure, and concerns about the quality of education. While the government has outlined several initiatives to address these issues, the opposition remains skeptical.
