Aiming to 'depollute' academics, the National Democratic Alliance government of Nitish Kumar in Bihar has decided to remove a chapter on Rashtriya Janata Dal president Lalu Prasad from class the VIII syllabus and also remodel the 'charwaha' and 'pahelwan' schools, pet projects of the RJD supremo.
"Lalu's life cannot be a model for school students, including the chapter on Lalu's life in the class VIII curriculum in government schools, along with those of other legends cannot be justified.
The NDA government will review the matter and make necessary deletion and inclusions in chapters on our heroes to provide a healthy education to children," state Human Resource Development Minister Brishen Patel told PTI on Sunday.
About possible inclusions, Patel said the life of revolutionary social activist Jyotiba Phule, from a Dalit family would be inspiring for the children.
Stating that the 'charwaha' and 'pahelwan' schools were not not bad in concept, but the previous government used it only as a 'slogan' and did not provide basic infrastructure for the realisation of their objectives, Patel said the NDA government would remodel these centres to make them 'rewarding' centres of vocational training for the poor and deprived children.
Without specifying whether the nomenclatures would be retained, he made it clear that the remodelled 'charwaha' and 'pahelwan' schools would be kept away from the 'black shadows' of the RJD regime.
"The 'charwaha' and 'pahelwan' vidyalayas have been much maligned, we will not allow their black shadows to prevail over the restructured models of these educational centres," he said.
The HRD minister said his government would make an 'in-depth' assesment of the ills of the state's education system right from school to college and at the university level and initiate measures to make the educational environment 'healthy'.
The government will try to infuse motivation among the teachers and staff for improving the quality of education, which of late, has been lambasted, both in and outside the state, forcing students to migrate to other places, Patel said.
The HRD minister listed, as his other priorities, filling a large number of vacancies of teachers in primary schools, better student-teacher relationships and improved management of mid-day meals in schools.
For streamlining of the academic calendar in universities and colleges, the number of holidays will also be reduced, he said.
"The task is herculean but the NDA government is committed to restoring the pristine glory of Bihar in the field of education and learning," Patel added.
Development of human resources is a prerequisite for any society that wants to develop and progress, the minister said, adding that, unfortunately, this sector was accorded low priority by the previous RJD government during its long stint in the power.
