Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu made several announcements to enhance educational opportunities and facilities in the region.

He was on a one-day visit to Solan, he felicitated the meritorious students of Government Senior Secondary School, Kothi Deora Ghatti on Tuesday.

While addressing the gathering on the occasion, the Chief Minister announced the commencement of commerce classes in Government Senior Secondary School, Kothi Deora Ghatti and assured that Kabaddi players from the school would be provided with necessary sports kits.

He said that the state government would allocate funds to complete the construction of educational institutions where 60 percent of the building work has been completed, with a target to finish these projects within two years.

Chief Minister also highlighted the government’s efforts to promote sports activities by increasing the diet money for participants.

The allowance has been raised from Rs. 240 to Rs. 400 for state-level competitions, Rs. 300 for district-level, and Rs. 240 for block-level events. For athletes competing outside the state, the diet money has been increased to Rs. 500. Additionally, the state government has enhanced travel facilities for players attending out-of-state events and announced that tournaments would now be organized for the under-14 age group at both district and state level, he added.

Reflecting on the government’s focus on improving educational standards, the Chief Minister noted that Himachal Pradesh has slipped to the 18th position in the national quality education ranking.

To address this, the government has been working tirelessly over the past 20 months to implement extensive reforms in the education system.

One of the key initiatives includes the phased introduction of Rajiv Gandhi Day Boarding Schools in rural areas across every assembly constituency, equipped with smart classrooms, audio-visual teaching aids and sports facilities. Schools have also been given the freedom to select smart uniforms as per their preferences.

The Chief Minister said that 99 primary schools with zero student enrolment have been closed, while those with less than five students are being merged. Furthermore, the government is introducing futuristic courses in educational institutions to ensure students receive quality education.

Acknowledging the possible initial discontent due to these stringent measures, he expressed confidence that these steps would yield positive results in the long run.

He emphasized the importance of quality education and the health of children, stressing that the government is taking concrete steps to address the declining enrollment in government schools.

In a first-of-its-kind initiative, the state government has sent 200 teachers to Singapore for an exposure visit, with plans to extend this programme to include students next year.