RJD regime did not pay attention to Education in Bihar: Nitish

 

RJD regime did not pay attention to Education in Bihar: Nitish

Patna, Aug 24  Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar today alleged that RJD regime had not paid
due attention to the education sector while his government has taken a number of steps to improve the quality of education after coming to power in the state in 2005 and increased education budget from Rs 4,366 Crores to Rs 35,191 Crores during the last 15 years.

Mr Kumar while inaugurating through video conferencing the new buildings constructed by Bihar State Educational Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited and also initiating class 9 study in 3,304 panchayats, uncovered the scheme launched earlier to introduce class 9 study in all panchayats in phases.

He said that a number of steps have been taken to improve the quality of education in Bihar since 2005 when his government was voted to power in the state. 
Earlier, RJD regime had not paid due attention to education sector in Bihar as the budget of Education Department was only Rs 4,366 Crores which has increased to Rs 35,191 Crores in the last 15 years, he added.
Mr Kumar said that soon after coming to power in 2005, a survey was done which showed 12.5 per cent children in Bihar were out of schools. 
Most of them were from oppressed sections and minority community, the survey had revealed. 
In order, to facilitate primary education to these children, which makes them eligible to get admitted in class 3 or class 4, the state government had made appointment of Tola Sevak and Talim-e- Markaj. 
It was essential as the children, who were out of schools, mostly, had crossed the age limit to have them admitted to class 1, he pointed out.
The Chief minister said that the state government had launched uniform scheme and cycle scheme.
Such schemes helped in the enrollment of students in schools and number of girl students had also increased considerably, he added.

Fertility rate declined from 4.3 per cent to 3.2 per cent since 2005 due to sustained efforts of government in improving education level of girls, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar said.
The Chief Minister said the national average of fertility rate is 2 per cent among the couples who are matriculates, a study has showed. 
The fertility rate among such couples in Bihar is also 2 per cent, he pointed out.
Mr Kumar said fertility rate among the couples at national level is 1.7 per cent where wife had passed intermediate examination but the fertility rate in Bihar among such couples is 1.6 per cent. 
The revelation came as a solution to improve the education level among girls to check population growth in Bihar, he added.
The Bihar Chief Minister said that state government has decided to ensure that girls must continue education till at least intermediate which would greatly help in reducing fertility rate and as such population growth in Bihar. 
Educating girls would help in women empowerment and also increasing their morale, he added.

Bihar Chief Minister Kumar said Astronomy Research Centre would be established in premises of Aryabhatt Knowledge University. 
It is important to do so as the institution named after Arybhatt, the great scientist who had not only perfectly measured the diameter of Earth but also gave the concept of "Zero" to the world.
The Chief Minister said that the state government had launched Students' Credit Card Scheme to provide loans to poor students aspiring for higher studies. 
The scheme was launched to help poor students in pursuing higher studies and poverty not be a hurdle to them anymore in actualising their dreams, he added.
Mr Kumar said national average of Gross Enrollment Ratio in higher studies is 24 per cent while the figure was 13.9 percent in Bihar. 
The state government had fixed the target of 30 per cent Gross Enrollment Ratio and a number of steps were being taken to achieve the target, he added.
The Chief Minister said certain hurdles over Ph.D qualification in appointment of college teachers has been removed. 
Now, University Service Commission would appoint college teachers as per the rectified eligibility criteria, he added.