Initiatives to spread light of education in Bengal

Kolkata, Sep 8: The West Bengal Government under Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has taken numerous initiatives over the last six years since it came to power in 2011 to improve the state of primary education and education in general in the state. Stating this, a Trinamool Congress statement here today said from various schemes to scholarships to free textbooks, books, etc and special provisions for the uplift of minority students, the schemes and incentives are meant to enable students to grow an interest towards education and lead to the fulfilment of dreams. Free accessories to incentivise education and textbooks are given for free – all books for students from classes I to VIII, four for classes IX and X and two for classes XI and XII. Almost 9.5 crore of 296 textbooks are printed for distribution. Textbooks in Braille are supplied to visually impaired students. From last year, all government school students from classes I to IV get school shoes for free; 50.32 lakh pairs have been distributed till now. The statement said school uniform are supplied for free to all students from classes I t VIII in all government-run and government-aided schools. Under the Anandadhara Scheme, the government has supplied 990 primary schools with recreational infrastructure like swings, toys and other playthings. A decision has already been made to supply for free school bags to students till class VIII, at a cost of Rs 300 crore. From this year, the government will supply free notebooks to all students from classes VI to XII – numbering three to five per year – studying in State Government schools. The scheme was inaugurated by Ms Banerjee on September 5. The cover of these notebooks would have the Biswa Bangla logo. The last few pages of each notebook would contain information about some of the most successful schemes like Kanyashree, Sabuj Sathi, Shikshashree, Yuvashree and others, it added All students till class VIII have been included in the Mid-Day Meal Scheme, through which 1.2 crore elementary level students are provided nutritious meals on a daily basis involving self help groups. UNI