Odisha to Upgrade 38 Ashram High Schools to 12th Level

Bhubaneswar: In a bid to impart quality education to tribal students, the State government would upgrade 38 Ashram schools to higher secondary level apart from opening 10 new Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRSs) under the State plan.

It was decided in the Tribes Advisory Council meeting chaired by CM Naveen Patnaik today at the State Secretariat. Addressing the meeting, the CM said the government has sanctioned 2226 Trained Graduate Teacher posts and 2000 CT teacher posts for the schools functioning under the SC/ST Development department. 

Urban hostel complexes would be opened in Bhubaneswar, Berhampur, and Rourkela for the accommodation of the SC/ST students, he added. The hostel complexes at Rourkela and Berhampur have been made operational while construction work for the same is going on in the capital.

Similarly, an amount of Rs 150 crore will be earmarked for the 10 EMRSs to be opened in the State to facilitate quality education for tribal and SC students, Naveen stated. A special drive has been taken to identify tribal youths and to upgrade their skills for placements.

The state government also launched the Odisha Girls Incentive Programme in collaboration with the Government of India and DFID to encourage SC and ST girls to complete Secondary Education. Under the scheme SC &ST day scholar girls studying in Class IX and X will get Rs 3,200 per annum, the chief minister added.