EDUCATION AND CULTURE

PRIMARY EDUCATION

Education is the most important single factor in achieving rapid economic development for creating a social order founded on the values of freedom, social justice and equal opportunities. During the last twenty years there has been a rapid growth in the number of primary schools in the district. The number increased from 37 in 1950-51 to 928 in 1960-61; and 1,215 in 1967-68. The State Governments policy of converting primary schools into basic schools has also made steady progress in the district. In 1962 there were 74 basic schools and additional 4 schools were subsequently opened in 1966.

The number of teachers in the primary schools during 1961-62 stood at 3,705; out of them 1,780 or 48.2 per cent were trained teachers. In 1967-68 there were as many as 5,166 male and 640 female teachers, out of whom 4,091 male and 489 female teachers were trained. The number of pupils for the year 1961-62 stood at 1,02,386 including 33,696 girl students, as against 1,53,849 including 55,395 girl students in 1967-68.

In 1962, 5 towns and 888 villages in the district had primary schools and 456 villages had schooling facilities, i.e., primary schools situated within a mile from a village. 142 villages did not have even schooling facilities. The Third Five-Year Plan was intended to expand and intensify the educational efforts and to bring every home within its fold. Efforts were accordingly made so that every village in the district, at present, enjoys the schooling facility. The number of boys and girls enrolled increased by 21.29 per cent and 49.38 per cent, respectively, in the year 1965-66 over that of the year 1961-62. The increase in the number of girl students in primary schools is mainly due to opening of many schools in rural areas.

As regards accommodation for the schools, out of 788 buildings in which primary schools were housed, 768 were owned by local bodies, 18 by private institutions and 8 by Government. In 1967-68 the number of school buildings increased by 66.

On the expenditure side, the State Government's share in 1961-62 was 80.9 per cent of the total expenditure which was incurred through grants-in-aid to the Zilla Parishad and building loans. Similarly, students belonging to the scheduled castes and scheduled tribes and wards of parents whose annual income does not exceed Rs. 1,800 get free education. This list is further supplemented by the inclusion of children of political sufferers and army personnel. During the Third Plan period, the total amount spent on general education programme touched the mark of Rs. 57.24 lakhs out of which Rs. 54.66 lakhs were spent on primary education.

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