No drinking water facility in 13000 Bihar schools

Patna, May 5: Shortage of infrastructure in schools in

was a 'major challenge', state Minister for Education PK Sahi said today adding there was no drinking water facility in around 13000 government schools.

Addressing a seminar 'Right of Children and Law', Shahi said several schools had no toilets, even for girl students. ''We have laid stress on improving infrastructural facilities in schools and ensuring quality education,'' he said.

Implementation of Right to Education Act for compulsory and free education to children was also another major challenge and said the state would require Rs 25000 crore every year for implementing the act in Bihar.

Bihar, he said, had remained backward because of historic reasons and the Nitish Kumar government has done much in the field of education so that the number of students staying away from schools has declined from 24 lakh to about 3.22 lakh.

There are 3.44 lakh teachers in 71855 primary and secondary schools in Bihar and three lakh more teachers were required, Shahi said, adding the enrollment had to be increased to 1.99 crore.

The state government had also developed a system for child right protection and law in Bihar, he said adding ''We are irrevocably committed to implementing it.'' The seminar was jointly organised by Chankya National Law University and Bihar Child Right Protection Commission and UNICEF.

PTI