NE Education Ministers for upgrading education

Aizawl, Nov 30: The Education Ministers of eight North Eastern states, including Sikkim, has submitted a ten-point memorandum to the Planning Commission to upgrade the education in the region.

Information and Public Relations Director L R Sailo told sources that the NE ministers had chalked out various issues including the funding ratio of 75:25:10 (Centre, DoNER and State) under Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA).

He said the ratio should be continued but a few region specific amendments should be made in the various SSA norms.

Besides, he stressed upon the amendment of the existing norm of 40:1 student-teachers' ratio.

He futher added that the more funds are required for education research, evaluation, Monitoring and supervision in the NE states.

The current norms of Teaching Learning Equipment (TLE) also needs to be amended so that all existing elementary schools be eligble for TLE grant.

NE ministers also demanded more funds for free text books, teacher's training and community mobilisation in their respective states, Mr Sailo said.

He also stressed upon increasing the hill transport subsidy, improving teachers education, requesting the Centre not to link the funding of SSA with right to eduction bill 2005, providing LPG connection to primary schools, upgrading the quality of rice for mid-day meals and the funding pattern of universalisation of secondary education to be fixed as per existing SSA scheme.

UNI