Centre releases ₹78L for 281 govt schools in Ludhiana district
While the Centre has been issuing grants to government high and senior secondary schools for repair work, and electricity and water bills yearly, this is for the first time that the grant has come for all levels of schools for beautification and development of their premises.
The central government has released ₹78.3 lakh for 281 government schools of the district. The funds, released under the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA), will be used for three purposes — decorating walls and corridors using building with learning aid (BALA); purchasing sports equipment; and conducting eco club activities.
While the Centre has been issuing grants to government high and senior secondary schools for repair work, and electricity and water bills yearly, this is for the first time that the grant has come for all levels of schools for beautification and development of their premises.
Utilisation
For BALA work, a grant of ₹5,000 will be given to primary and ₹10,000 to middle, high and senior secondary schools. The schools have been instructed to get the BALA work done according to the syllabus covered in the textbooks. The schools have been further instructed to use the classroom walls and corridors as building with learning aid. In middle, high and senior secondary schools, a committee of subject teachers can be constituted to decide the subject matter to be painted on the walls. Art and craft teacher can also help in planning and designing.
Under sports and physical education, primary schools will get ₹5,000, middle schools ₹15,000 and high and senior secondary school ₹25,000. Schools can utilise the funds to level playgrounds, lay athletics tracks, purchase poles for kho-kho and nets for volleyball. The schools can also purchase sports equipment such as badminton set, skipping rope, basketball, volleyball, javelin, shotput etc. The schools can purchase musical instruments if needed. The grant can also be utilised to conduct quiz and inter house competitions. Primary schools can conduct competitions during the bal sabhas and senior secondary schools can hold competitions on the last Saturday of the month.
For eco clubs, schools can utilise the funds to develop educational parks, plant saplings and trees, set up kitchen gardens, purchase dustbins, and get the school building whitewashed. The grant can also be used to conduct debate, poem recitation, and handwriting competitions.
Thumbs up
Head teacher of Government Primary School (GPS), Chanan Devi, Jaswinder Kaur, said, “The grant will help the schools get a facelift. BALA attracts students of Classes 1 to 5.”
Head teacher of GPS, Gobind Nagar, Sarabjit Singh, said, “The primary schools receive ₹15,000 for repair work yearly, which was not enough to manage the premises. The Central grant will help provide better facilities to the students.”
Earlier this year, many primary and senior secondary schools had also received grants under the Smart City project for proper infrastructure, smart classrooms, decorative walls, and projectors.