Schools over 100 yrs: Process initiated to create database

MP, 22 Feb 2023, Kolkata: The state Education department has initiated a survey to create a database of schools that are over 100 years old. The study will separately identify schools based on their age and heritage aspect. 

“We have started surveying schools that have crossed 100 years based on their oldness and heritage aspect. Once we compile a separate list, we will be providing financial grants based on the requirement,” state Education minister Bratya Basu said during the question-answer session at the state Assembly on Tuesday replying to a query from Sukanta Pal, Trinamool Congress MLA from Amta in Howrah. 

Pal had asked whether the department has any provision for grants to schools that are over 100 years old. Basu said that his department is also examining the introduction of cluster kitchens for hassle-free cooking and transfer of mid-day meals to the schools. 

However, according to sources in the Education department, the cluster kitchen model may not be feasible in rural areas where the distance between two schools is very long. However, in the case of Kolkata and its adjoining areas where two schools are located nearby, cluster kitchens can be implemented. 

In 2012, a community kitchen was set up in Kolkata after it was found that the supply of mid-day meals in some schools under the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) was not smooth. “However, presently, the department has developed the infrastructure for supplying 100 per cent mid-day meals in schools across the state,” Basu said. 

According to Basu, the state Education department is also considering recruiting Group C and Group D employees for the primary schools where often teachers and students have to do work beyond their capacity for the lack of these staff. 

Presently, the number of primary schools and secondary/ higher secondary schools in the state are 50158 and 13660 respectively. 

The number of teachers associated with these schools are 1,89725 for primary and 176384 for secondary/ higher secondary. In the context of a tendency among teachers to seek transfer to city schools and refusing to work in rural institutions, Basu said that his department is modifying the Utsashree portal through which teachers’ transfers take place. 

“This will curb such tendencies among teachers which are creating a disparity between teacher-student ratio in some schools in rural areas,” he added. The Education department with the help of information technology is doing a mapping of the schools and preparing a database of the student-teacher ratio. 

https://www.millenniumpost.in/bengal/schools-over-100-yrs-process-initiated-to-create-database-509507