Education Notes

Nagaland Schools grading initiative The Nagaland state government’s education department has commiss-ioned an NGO to undertake an assessment project to grade schools. The project on quality education and students development was launched on April 29. The survey, conducted by the Mayangnokcha Award Trust, will cover Kohima, Dimapur and Mokokchung districts. “The project will grade schools for the state government, the school itself and the public,” additional secretary for school education Bendangkokba informed the media in Kohima on June 1. Lauding the trust for initiating and organising the programme, he pledged full support of the education department. “Imparting quality education in the state is not solely the job of the education department, schools and teachers. It also requires involvement and efforts of NGOs, civil society and parents,” he remarked. Nini Meru, chairperson of the Nagaland Board of School Education, called upon all schools to volunteer for assessment so that they can improve themselves by becoming aware of their shortcomings. Rajasthan Schools fee control order As per recommendations of a committee and the outcome of discussions with educationists, the Rajasthan govern-ment issued orders on June 1 to control tuition fee increases by private schools and set conditions for raising them. R.P. Jain, principal secretary (school and Sanskrit education) said that only schools which have appointed permanent staff, and are paying them according to the recommendations of the Sixth Pay Commission from the 2009-10 academic session, can raise tuition fees. “Collective fee hikes from academic year 2007-08 to 2009-10 shall not exceed 32.5 percent for schools run by trusts or societies, 30 percent for private schools located in divisional headquarters and 27.5 percent for other private schools. No school shall hike fees in mid session, and the development fee, should be used only for school furniture, fixtures and literary items and shall not exceed 10 percent of the tuition fee. Moreover no school shall charge fees except tuition, development, limited caution money, transfer certificate and sports fee,” he said, adding, “only such schools can charge sports fee where sports grounds and facilities are available for students.” Gujarat Modi directive to municipal schools Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi has directed seven municipal corpora-tions in the state to improve the quality of education being dispensed in municipal schools. “In a meeting held on June 6, the chief minister asked officials of the seven municipal corporations to focus on the education provided in municipal schools,” said a senior official in the chief minister’s office (CMO). The chief minister reportedly made a number of suggestions to improve academic standards in municipal schools which enrol children of the urban poor and lower middle class. “CM wants to bring about qualitative change in the education provided in government and civic body-run schools,” said the official, adding that infrastructure facilities will be improved in all such schools in the state. Currently an estimated 1,000 schools in Ahmedabad, Surat, Vadodara, Jamnagar, Bhavnagar, Rajkot and Junagadh, are being administered by municipal corporations. Goa BJP call for OBC quota In a statement dated…