'Hry govt taking several initiatives to provide quality education'

The Haryana government has taken several initiatives to improve the quality of education for students, a senior official said today.

"Country is made in schools and children are its future, we are moving ahead keeping this thing in mind," Haryana's Additional Chief Secretary, School Education Department, Dheera Khandelwal, told reporters here.

Among several initiatives of the School Education Department include special teachers visiting homes of physically challenged children who are unable to come to schools, providing 'maths kits' to junior class students, among others.

Khandelwal said this year the Career Counselling and Conflict Management Cells, where students would get career-related advice, besides psychologists in these cells would also counsel the students on various issues.

Mathematics corners or labs and 'Ganit Gyan Clubs' are being developed in schools to promote the subject, she said.

Other initiatives include 'reading guarantee' programme to provide complete knowledge of Hindi and English language to the students.

In 2017-18, classes 1 and 2 in 180 english medium schools were made bag-free, and this year, 238 schools are being covered, the senior official said said.

Khandelwal said six language labs were set up in the selected Model Sanskriti Schools to facilitate digital learning and improving listening and speaking skills of the students.

Free sanitary napkins are being provided to girls in the schools from class 6 onwards, she said.

Khandelwal said the state government had taken the initiative to bring the students close to nature.

All the students studying in class 6 to 12 would be motivated to plant a sapling at their house, nearby their house or at a public place, and also protect it.

Besides, this year, under 'Super 100 Programme', 100 short-listed meritorious students of the government schools securing more than 85 per cent marks in class 10, would get free coaching for IIT, JEE, NEET and other examinations, along with boarding and facility.

The government will conduct an entrance test in June for candidates seeking admission in this course. The scheme has been launched for the current financial year 2018-19.

Khandelwal said the state government has decided to increase Rs 1,000 in the honorarium of cooks of mid-day meal and from this year, they would get monthly honorarium of Rs 3,500.