The Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh, Pema Khandu, said that his government will focus on youth development and reforming the education sector by 2025, saying that these areas are important for the development and prosperity of the State.
“The State Government has declared the year 2024-25 as the ‘Year of Youth’ in its Budget. This program highlights the gratitude of the management and recognition of the important role young people play in shaping the nation and the State,” said Mr. Chandu.
“Year of Youth” is our acceptance of the great responsibility of our youth in building ‘Viksit Bharat’ (progressive India) and ‘Viksit Arunachal’ (prosperous Arunachal),” the Chief Minister told. The PTI in the conversation.
He also mentioned that this program is in line with the promises made in the election manifesto of the ruling party. One of the main objectives of the ‘Year of Youth’ is to encourage entrepreneurship among young people and not only rely on government services.
The government aims to build a strong entrepreneurship system through various schemes and policies. “Our government will put a lot of emphasis on skills development programs to equip young people with the necessary tools to start businesses,” said Mr Khandu.
“The Arunachal Pradesh Entrepreneurship Development Program (APEDP) has already been launched to achieve this goal,” he added.
APEDP, led by the Ministry of Finance, Investment and State Planning, aims to address domestic challenges by promoting entrepreneurship. This program provides budding entrepreneurs with the necessary support and mentoring to succeed.
“We envision a future where the youth of Arunachal Pradesh will be job creators instead of job seekers, generating livelihoods for thousands,” said Mr. Chandu.
“The Indian Institute of Management Calcutta Innovation Park (IIMCIP) has been roped in as a knowledge partner to run the programme,” he said.
Additionally, the Chief Minister said that the State is collaborating with renowned institutes like IIMs and Indian Institute of Entrepreneurship (IIE) Guwahati, to provide enhanced training for skill development. Mr. Khandu also pointed out that there are special grants provided to support youth-led startups in the State.
The Chief Minister said that the education sector is another priority for the government. Over the next three fiscal years, the State plans to implement reforms to ensure quality education, improved infrastructure, and better opportunities for students.
“In order to deal with the challenges that exist, discussion meetings are held throughout the State, led by the Minister of Education PD Sona and his adviser Mutchu Mithi,” said Mr Khandu.
“These sessions aimed to identify the core issues and propose effective solutions for the Ministry of Education,” he said.
The results of these sessions will be compiled into a comprehensive report with recommendations for changes, which the State Government will fully implement. “We are committed to working with the percentage of recommended changes,” he affirmed.
Choosing quality over quantity, Mr. Khandu pointed out the importance of improving the learning experience rather than simply increasing the number of schools. “The government plans to develop schools equipped with facilities such as hostels, adequate teachers, and modern teaching methods,” he said.
“The government is focusing on quality education instead of improving the quality of education in the State,” said the Chief Minister.
To increase resources, the government has already closed or consolidated about 600 non-performing schools or those with low enrollment. Schools with fewer than 50 students are also being considered for closure.
“This step will ensure better use of resources, including teachers, school infrastructure, and residential areas,” explained Mr. Khandu.
Currently Arunachal Pradesh has more than 2,800 government-run schools, supported by more than 7,600 regular teachers and 5,900 SSA (Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan) teachers.
However, challenges continue, especially in filling the shortage of teachers. The State is facing a shortage of 414 post-graduate teachers (TGTs) and 186 post-graduate teachers (PGTs), especially in critical subjects such as mathematics and science.
The Chief Minister called for public support and cooperation to implement these changes effectively, acknowledging that some changes may be difficult but necessary to achieve long-term benefits.
“The State Government intends to empower its youth and give them the tools and opportunities needed to run the state for independence and progress,” said Mr Khandu.
Published – December 30, 2024 03:52 pm IST
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