Residential school for quality education to ST students coming up in Odisha

Berhampur: Biju Patnaik Adarsha Vidyalaya, a residential school for scheduled tribe (ST) students, is being set up on Palur Hill in Rangeilunda block of Ganjam district.

The foundation stone for the school, regarded as the first of its kind in the state, was laid by Chief minister Naveen Patnai yesterday.

The school, which will be managed by the SC&ST development department will impart quality education to around 3,000 students from Class VI to XII. It is likely to start functioning in the next two years after completion of the construction of the academic block, hostel buildings and other infrastructure facilities, said Director, SC&ST development department, RC Sia.

The school will impart education in English and affiliated to the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE). The main aim is to provide quality education to ST students in the state, he said.

The government has sanctioned Rs 45-crore for the school this year, he said. An academic block, hostel building, staff quarters, playground and boundary wall will be constructed with the money, he added. The district administration has provided 20 acres for it.

Higher education minister Pradeep Panigrahi said trafficking of tribal students on the pretext of providing quality education in other states will be checked with the functioning of the school.

The government has already established 100 model schools affiliated to the CBSE in each of the 100 blocks. These schools started functioning from April under the school and mass education department. The proposed Adarsh School is different from these as it is exclusively meant for ST students, said the Director.