MALDA, April 9: The setting up of 180 new secondary schools in the district has been stalled, due to the imposition of the Model Code of Conduct during a series of elections starting in April, 2008.
The state government had approved proposals for setting up 180 new secondary schools in Malda and sanctioned Rs 4.55 lakh for each school in the 2008-09 financial year. At present, the district has one secondary school for every 5.6 primary schools.
To improve standard primary and secondary education, the state has formulated a new theory under which secondary schools are to be set up based on a 'one to three' ratio. In a given area, one secondary school will be set up for every three primary schools.
However, the district education department has been able to set up only two of the new secondary schools. Papers have been prepared for setting up 22 more schools, and sent to the state education department for the final nod. “Since April, 2008, we have had to follow the Model Code of Conduct four times. In April, the process of selecting land for the prospective schools was stalled due to the Kharba Assembly by-polls. After notification of rural polls held in May 2008, we were not allowed to touch the project,” said Mr Chinmay Sarkar, the district inspector of schools (secondary).
“In January 2009, we had to follow the Model Code of Conduct due to the Sujapur Assembly by-polls. And now we are facing the same problems because of the 15th general elections,” said Mr Sarkar.
The district officials~ including the sabhadhipati of Malda zilla parishad - have tried hard to select primary school premises to set up new secondary schools, but could not manage to obtain any No Objection certificates from the council of the district primary schools. n SNS
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