Himachal Targets 15,000 Teacher Appointments; Rs. 2 Crore Announced for Dharampur College Hall.
Education Minister Rohit Thakur highlights quality education, improved sports infrastructure and greater participation of girls in sports.
Shimla:
Himachal Pradesh Education Minister Rohit Thakur on Monday said the state government aims to strengthen the education system by providing quality education and improving facilities in government schools. He said nearly 10,000 appointments had been made in the Education Department during the tenure of the present government, while another 5,000 teacher appointments were targeted for the current year. With these additional appointments, the total number of appointments would reach approximately 15,000.
The minister was speaking as the chief guest at the closing ceremony of the 67th State-Level Under-19 Girls’ Sports Competition at Government Senior Secondary School, Siddhpur, in Dharampur subdivision of Mandi district.
The four-day competition witnessed participation from around 650 girl athletes representing all 12 districts of Himachal Pradesh and three sports hostels. Competitions were held in kabaddi, volleyball, kho-kho, thodo and kurash, with participants showcasing their sporting talent and skills.
Thakur said sports played a crucial role in the physical and mental development of students. Participation in sporting activities helped develop discipline, self-confidence, leadership qualities and teamwork. He emphasised the need to increase girls’ participation in sports and provide them with better opportunities to develop their abilities.
He said Himachal Pradesh athletes had won 48 medals at the national level last year. The department aimed to increase this tally to 60 initially and eventually to 100 medals. To achieve the target, the government was focusing on better training facilities, improved sports infrastructure and a supportive environment for athletes.
Sports and educational infrastructure strengthened
During his visit, the Education Minister inaugurated several development projects aimed at improving educational and sports facilities in the Dharampur region.
He inaugurated a badminton sports club constructed at Government High School, Bahri, at a cost of approximately Rs. 40 lakh. The facility also includes a gym, providing students with better opportunities for sports training and physical fitness.
At Government Senior Secondary School, Siddhpur, he inaugurated a multipurpose hall constructed at a cost of Rs. 15 lakh. He also inaugurated the Himachal Pradesh Board of School Education’s book distribution, information and guidance centre, along with a newly constructed examination building.
The establishment of the board’s centre in Dharampur is expected to benefit students, teachers and registered booksellers in the surrounding areas. Students will be able to access textbooks and important information related to education and examinations more conveniently.
Dharampur is the board’s 25th book distribution centre. Earlier, students in the area had to depend on the centre at Bhoranj to obtain textbooks.
The centre will also supply books to registered booksellers and provide teachers with information about the latest curriculum, model question papers, educational facilities and training programmes. It will further help disseminate information about the provisions of the National Education Policy 2020 and support its effective implementation.
Rs. 2 crore for college hall, Rs. 25 lakh for school playground
Announcing further support for sports infrastructure, Thakur declared Rs. 2 crore for the construction of a multipurpose hall at Government College, Dharampur.
He also announced Rs.25 lakh for the development of the playground at Government Senior Secondary School, Siddhpur. In addition, he assured that funds would be provided during the current financial year for the development of playgrounds at Tihra and Banerari.
The minister announced Rs. 15,000 to encourage participants who presented cultural programmes during the competition.
He said education and sports complemented each other and that students needed opportunities to excel in both fields. The government was continuously working to strengthen infrastructure in schools and colleges so that students from rural areas could also access better facilities and equal opportunities for growth.
Congratulating the participating athletes, Thakur said that participation, hard work and sportsmanship were more important than winning or losing. He encouraged students to pursue academic excellence while performing well in sports and bringing recognition to the state.
Rural schools to benefit from CBSE pattern
Dharampur MLA Chander Shekhar said the introduction of schools following the CBSE pattern in rural areas had increased public confidence in the education system. The initiative would help children from rural families access better educational opportunities.
He said the experience of the existing schools would be assessed before considering the expansion of the initiative. He also stressed that increasing the number of schools alone was not sufficient and that the focus must remain on improving the quality of education.
The MLA thanked the government for supporting the development of sports infrastructure and promoting games such as volleyball and basketball.
Former Bilaspur MLA Tilak Raj Sharma, senior leader Dr Jay Kumar Azad, local dignitaries and officials and employees of the Dharampur administration were also present on the occasion.
