Chief Minister Issues Directives for Quality Improvements in Education

Dehradun – Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has directed the Education Department to make integrated efforts for qualitative improvements in the education sector, with special emphasis on girls’ education and the development of smart schools.

Reviewing the department’s game-changing schemes in a virtual meeting, the Chief Minister instructed officials to focus on increasing student enrolment in Grades 1, 6, and 9 through targeted enrollment drives. He emphasized the need to reduce dropout rates among girl students and directed that effective measures be taken to reintegrate those who have left school. He also called for widespread public awareness campaigns to promote this cause.

CM Dhami stressed skill development and vocational education for students and encouraged consistent efforts in promoting innovation. He instructed officials to ensure timely distribution of textbooks, notebooks, and school uniforms to all students. Unused assets in the education department must be repurposed effectively, he added.

The Chief Minister also directed that separate toilets and an adequate supply of sanitary pads for girls be ensured in all schools. Special attention should be paid to the structural safety of school buildings. In addition to academic learning, students should be encouraged to participate in arts, theatre, and sports activities. The “Fit India” campaign should be promoted among children, and reforms in the examination system should be prioritized. He further asked for the swift filling of vacant teacher positions in schools.

During the meeting, it was informed that under the Bharat Darshan Yojana, 156 top-performing students had been sent on educational tours to Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, and Haryana, where they visited institutions like IITs and IIMs. This year, 1,082 toppers will be sent on similar tours.

Additionally, 559 cluster schools in the state will be converted into Smart Schools, under which 4,019 smart classes will be operated.

Present in the meeting were Education Minister Dr. Dhan Singh Rawat, Chief Secretary Anand Bardhan, Principal Secretaries R.K. Sudhanshu and R. Meenakshi Sundaram, Education Secretary Ravinath Raman, Director General of Education Deepti Singh, Resident Commissioner Ajay Mishra, and other officials from the Education Department.

(Issued by the Information & Public Relations Department)