Agartala, January 15, 2025: Concerns over the educational standards in Tripura’s 125 ‘Vidyajyoti’ schools, affiliated with the CBSE, were raised on the third day of the Tripura Legislative Assembly’s winter session by Congress MLAs Gopal Chandra Roy and Sudip Roy Barman. The discussion spotlighted issues ranging from teacher shortages to the medium of instruction, with Chief Minister Prof. Dr. Manik Saha, who also holds the Education portfolio, addressing the questions with detailed responses.

MLA Gopal Chandra Roy brought attention to several pressing issues: “The lack of teachers for newly introduced subjects like Music, Art, and Yoga; students at Boys Bodhjung School in Agartala being forced to eat their mid-day meals in corridors; a fee of Rs 1,000 per student being charged from nursery to class XII; parents expressing dissatisfaction with the results of ‘Vidyajyoti’ schools, leading them to enroll their children in general government schools; the inadequate number of teachers and concerns about the capability of both new and existing educators in these institutions; Will it be suitable for overall education if such issues persist?” questioned Roy.

In response, CM Dr. Saha outlined the government’s initiatives to address these challenges. “There is a specific guideline for the functioning of the 125 ‘Vidyajyoti’ schools,” he stated. He added, “Subject teachers for Economics, Geography, Psychology, and Sociology have been appointed; the Teachers’ Recruitment Board of Tripura (TRBT) notified 200 positions for Special Educators, of which 88 have been filled; and positions for Physical Education teachers, librarians, and 118 Computer Education teachers have been completed.”

The CM emphasized that the government is committed to improving the educational ecosystem in these schools.

MLA Sudip Roy Barman raised concerns about the sudden transition of students from Bengali to English as the medium of instruction. “Students studying in Bengali now have to take exams in English. Many are being passed through grace marks. Will the government review the ‘Vidyajyoti’ schools?” he asked.

Citing progress, Dr. Saha noted, “In the last examination, 85% of students passed class X, and 75% cleared class XII. These schools are gradually transitioning from Bengali to English medium. To support this shift, 41 training camps have been conducted by CBSE experts, and CBSE’s Centre of Excellence has been established in collaboration with Kendriya Vidyalaya and Ramakrishna Mission resource persons.”

He further elaborated on the measures, “Review meetings by District Education Officers (DEOs); virtual conferences for principals; appointment of District Coordinators; provision of sample question papers for class X and XII students; establishment of 32 ‘Vidyajyoti’ schools as learning hubs; and teacher Learning Materials and human resource support.”

“To ensure success in board exams, classroom grooming sessions for class X will run from December 23, 2024, to January 31, 2025, and for class XII until January 15, 2025,” he added.