New Delhi: A staggering 68 per cent of elementary schools in Orissa still do not have access to electricity and are forced to study in classrooms without this basic amenity, a statement from the Union government tabled in the Parliament reveals.
The Ministry of Human Resources Development (HRD) Monday tabled data relating to the extent of coverage of schools with electricity in different states of the country. As per the report, 68 per cent of the elementary schools in Orissa are still deprived of electric power.
The statement was tabled by HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar in the Lok Sabha Monday. It reveals that when it comes to secondary schools, 30 per cent of them are still reported to be lacking in electricity coverage. Moreover, as per the report, 13 per cent of higher education schools are deprived of electricity.
This is against the performance of some of the states/Union Territories like Chandigarh, Delhi, Daman and Diu which reported 100 per cent power supply to schools. States which reported more than 97 per cent coverage include Karnataka, Punjab and Goa.
As per the last report of Unified District Information System for Education (UDISE), 61.67 per cent elementary schools; 89.65 per cent secondary schools and 92.88 per cent higher secondary schools have electricity. The report was last published in 2015.
The statement submitted in the Parliament however claims that under the Sarva Sikhsha Abhiyaan, not a single school has been electrified.
No plan for sex edu in schools
The HRD Ministry Monday accepted in their tabled statement in the Lok Sabha that they do not have any plans for making sex education compulsory in schools. The ministry said, “There is no proposal under consideration of the Government to prepare any project or manual for imparting compulsory sex education in schools and colleges. No talks are being held with the states in this regard. However, all states and UTs are involved in the implementation of the ‘Adolescence Education Programme’ (AEP) to some degree.
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