Central officials evaluate Nagarjan school’s SSA performance

EMN
DIMAPUR, NOVEMBER 20

HIGH officials from the Ministry of Human Resource Development, government of India, are in Dimapur evaluating the implementation of the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) in the district. Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) is Government of India’s flagship programme for achievement of “Universalization” of elementary education in phases, as mandated by the 86th amendment to the Constitution of India.  It seeks to offer free and compulsory education to children of the age group 6-14 years, a Fundamental Right. SSA is being implemented in partnership with state governments to cover the entire country and address the needs of 192 million children in 1.1 million habitations.
The team of central government officials was led by Additional Secretary to the Government of India Vrinda Swrup and Director of RMSA Carolyn Deshmuk, Department of School Education & Literacy. The officials visited the Government Middle School of Naharbari in Dimapur to evaluate the implementation of SSA, the Government of India’s flagship school education scheme.
Head Teacher of the government school Meyisenla Lima apprised the visiting officials of the various activities and facilities given to students under centrally sponsored schemes of SSA. The facilities include free text books, free uniforms, play materials and the mid-day meal scheme, among others.
Additional Secretary to the Government of India Vrinda Swrup appreciated the participation of the community and their contribution to the school in making the institution one of the ‘best maintained government middle schools’ in Dimapur district. The government official also appreciated the good record keeping of the civil works and students’ academic record of the school as well as the registers of monthly and quarterly meetings held in the school. Besides, Swrup also interacted with the students with regard to the mid-day meals and their academics.
Interacting with the high central officials, Village Council Chairperson Tokheli Kikon told the dignitaries how the community of Naharbari donated the present land for the construction of the new building. The community would be grateful, she said, if the visiting central team would extent help to construct a boundary wall and drainage around the school as well. As there are no high schools around the locality, the village chairman said, the government middle school is the ideal alternative for an upgrade to high school as well as higher secondary, Kikon said. The village has enough space for infrastructure, she said.
Lima also informed the media that the school has been upgraded from government primary school to government middle school in 2011. The new school building was constructed with funds received from SSA amounting to Rs. 15.5 lakh and the community’s contribution of more than Rs. 20 Lakhs. She also informed that funds have been received in installments under the SSA scheme to construct toilets for girl students, one each for the primary school and another for the middle school.
She also informed that the SMC Chairman Lanuyanger and the VCM chairperson Tokheli Kikon inspects the school on a regular basis for which the school, both teachers and students are grateful.
The government middle school of Naharbari is one of 20 pilot schools in Dimapur district and has an enrollment of around 300 children with strength of 18 teachers. The school is also in its 50th year and the whole community is looking forward to celebrating the institution’s golden jubilee which is to be celebrated on the 28th of this month. She thanked the central ministry officials and the officials of state’s Education Department for inspecting the school.