Himanta Biswa Sarma
Himanta Biswa Sarma addressing a press conference in Guwahati. Image credit - Northeast Now

Ahead of the state budget session, Assam finance and education minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Saturday announced that the state government would fill up 15,000 posts of school teachers in the next 6 months.

Out of the 15,000 posts, 9,635 regular posts will be filled up before March 31, 2020, said Sarma while addressing a press conference in Guwahati on Saturday.

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He also informed that 8,000 posts will be filled up at the district level with the announcement of results of Teachers Eligibility Test (TET) for secondary education next month.

Sharing a statement on his Facebook page on Saturday, Sarma said the education department of Assam has taken some important decisions at the elementary, secondary & higher secondary levels to boost up the standard of education in the state.

“As we announce our initiatives, we take the blessings of our teacher communities & stakeholders,” he said.

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He said the state government decided to release a budget of Rs 449 crore to the school managing committees for 4 sets of uniforms for students in Class 1 to Class 8 and 2 sets of uniforms for those in Class 9 and 10 according to the guidelines issued by the SSA.

“The government is considering provincialization of 4,993 schools with 13,362 teachers at the elementary level, 626 schools with 4,828 teachers at secondary level & 30 new colleges with 900 teachers’ posts at higher education level along with 168 posts in 134 already provincialized colleges,” the minister said.

He also said the government has decided to recruit 665 posts of faculties at the college level.

The principals of colleges will have the authority to fill the vacant posts in the next 6 months, he added.

“Issues of job security, pay disparity & health for contractual teachers will also be taken,” he announced.

Introduction of science stream in colleges, setting up 100 high schools in tea gardens and upgradation of high schools to higher secondary schools will be important measures to be taken within the next 6 months, Sarma said.

He further informed that the government will undertake and resolve issues of illegal/irregular teachers in the elementary education department.

An amount of Rs 962.93 crore will be released to SMDC for construction of additional classrooms in 10,702 schools in 13,564 units, partition wall in 7,813 schools in 10,472 units, boys’ toilets in 1,379 schools and for electrification in 37,560 schools, Sarma said.

“For the higher education department, various new colleges, universities, higher and technical schools/ colleges, Law and B.Ed colleges will be established within 6 months,” said Sarma, adding, “The problems of computer teachers will also be addressed.”