The Tripura government Setting at rest speculations over the issue has brought in major changes in the rules for government aided schools to ensure quality and equal education in all schools, and amended rule passed in 2005 by incorporating new provisions.

The Tripura government Setting at rest speculations over the issue has brought in major changes in the rules for government aided schools to ensure quality and equal education in all schools, and amended rule passed in 2005 by incorporating new provisions.

Giving details Education Minister Ratan Lal Nath said the school managing committee will constitute a committee like the Teachers' Recruitment Board, Tripura (TRBT) with concurrence from the Director of school education department for the recruitment drive in government aided schools.

He said that the recruitment of teachers must fulfill the student-teacher ratio prescribed for the government-run schools. He said that at present there are already 43 government-aided schools across the state having a total student strength of 26,409. There are altogether 153 under-graduate teachers, 413 graduate teachers, 479 post-graduate teachers, 7 confirmed head masters, 126 group-C employees,229 group-D employees which make up a total staff strength of 1426.

Nath said that these schools were suffering from various problems, especially after the introduction of new education policy and they were not able to recruit new teachers and in order to solve these problems, the Education department had called a meeting of the representatives of all government-aided schools and decided to amend rules . Then, the department formed a committee to give concrete shape in writing to the changes, said Ratan Lal Nath and added that many of the 43 aided schools were suffering either from lack of adequate teachers, low student strength or lack of head masters or assistant head masters etc.

"Now, the department are going to extend new benefits to the aided schools in accordance with the amended rules; earlier the prescribed student strength, said Nath and added that the depositing of the general provident fund (GPF) money of teachers was earlier deposited with post office but from now on this will be deposited with banks. Besides, the teachers of aided schools were deprived of home travelling allowance available from government teachers but from now on the teachers of aided schools will also be allowed to enjoy this benefit. For appointment of teachers in aided schools the school managing committees will have the same power as earlier but a board like the TRBT will have to be constituted with approval of the director of education and the student-teacher will have to be maintained," said Nath.

The minister said the new service rule has empowered the school authority to transfer teachers to nearby government aided schools based on the situation and demand, a provision which was not mentioned in the previous service rule. Nath said that there will be an inspection of government aided schools once every five years. If faults are identified, the concerned school will be given a two-year period to rectify them but if it fails to deliver, the particular school will be merged to a nearby government educational institute.

The government is spending lots for these schools and therefore they must be accountable to provide quality education and this is the reason behind bringing change in the service rule, said Nath and added that the appointment of headmasters has also been simplified.