More than 41,000 individuals applied for admission to the 12,000 available seats in the 80 Jharkhand government-run Schools of Excellence. Out of these applicants, approximately 10,590 were declared successful. The inauguration of these 80 schools took place on May 2 by Hemant Soren, chief minister, Jharkhand. This initiative aims to bring about academic reforms and offer high-quality English-medium education that is comparable to private schools, according to an official statement.
As part of the government’s commitment to providing quality education, these 80 institutes are a significant step towards that goal. They aim to cater to 15 lakh children enrolled in government schools. Additionally, the government has plans to establish 325 block-level schools and 4,091 gram panchayat-level model schools in the second phase of this initiative, the statement mentioned.
One noteworthy achievement of the government project is the success of 10 students from Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya (KGBV) in Khunti district. This school is part of an effort to address gender disparities in rural areas and marginalised communities. These students qualified in the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) mains, showcasing the impact of the project on empowering disadvantaged students. The National Centre for School Leadership has conducted two phases of online training for the principals of these 80 schools. This initiative ensures that school leaders are equipped with the necessary skills to effectively manage and lead these institutions, as per the statement.
Furthermore, the government has announced vocational training programmes for students in these Schools of Excellence. These programmes encompass 11 trades, including agriculture, IT, ITES, apparel and make-up, home furnishing, media and entertainment, automotive, tourism and hospitality, beauty and wellness, multi-skilling, electronics and hardware, retail and healthcare. Through these vocational training programmes, students will acquire practical skills that can benefit them in various industries and sectors, it added.
With inputs from PTI.