'Rope in banks, industrial houses to maintain schools'

: Lt Governor of Puducherry Lt General (retired) A K Singh has urged education department officials to associate industrial houses and banks to strengthen infrastructure in government schools by using funds under 'Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) scheme.

Speaking after meeting the officials at Raj Nivas yesterday to identify needs of the schools and to evolve plans to tone teachers' skills, he said infrastructure was essential for schools. He stressed the need to make available toilets and safe drinking water. Posts of teachers remaining vacant should be filled at the earliest, he said

A meeting at the level of Chief Secretary to government should be held with officials of industrial houses and banks to ensure that they use funds under CSR to tone up basic infrastructure in schools, he said.
 

A release from office of the Lt Governor later said he also directed education department officials to hold dialogue with parents and teachers in the schools to get their views on rolling out the CBSE system upto primary level.

He also wanted a pilot project prepared with academic experts to streamline training and learning processes

He urged that a detailed report be framed in a month for comprehensive improvement in school education the release said.