Bhubaneswar: In a significant step towards promoting education and empowering the next generation, School and Mass Education Minister Nityananda Gond has announced a series of student-friendly initiatives aimed at benefiting students. One of the key initiatives is the provision of free bus travel for all school students in government-run buses.
Gond, however, made it clear that students wearing school uniforms and having identity cards can travel in government-run buses at free of cost.
The Minister also stated that while previously only SC and ST students received free textbooks, the government will now provide free textbooks to all students. Students from Class I to Class X will receive free textbooks.
“Primary education will undergo significant changes in line with the National Education Policy. The State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT) will be developed in line with the NCERT framework, with a greater focus on providing quality education”, Gond stated.
The Minister has, however, acknowledged that many schools in the state lack proper infrastructure. He has assured that the government will prioritize improving the infrastructure of these schools. The Minister stated that discussions were held with the Chief Minister to bring about improvements in the coming days.
