Agartala: Jan 15: During the third day of the Tripura Legislative Assembly’s winter session, Congress MLAs Gopal Chandra Roy and Sudip Roy Barman raised serious concerns about the quality of education in Tripura’s 125 Vidya Jyoti schools. Roy highlighted several critical issues, including a shortage of teachers for newly introduced subjects like music, art, and yoga. He also pointed out that students at Agartala’s Boys’ School were forced to eat their mid-day meals in the corridors. Further concerns were raised about a ₹1000 fee per student from nursery to class 12, with many parents dissatisfied with the results of Vidya Jyoti schools, leading them to enroll their children in regular government schools. Additionally, the competency of teachers and the overall educational suitability of these schools were questioned.
In response, Education Minister and Chief Minister Professor Dr. Manik Saha assured the House that the government was taking steps to address these issues. He explained that the Vidya Jyoti schools had specific guidelines, and the government had been actively recruiting teachers for subjects like economics, geography, psychology, and sociology. The Tripura Teacher Recruitment Board (TRBT) had also filled positions for physical education teachers, librarians, and 118 computer education teachers.
Regarding concerns about the medium of instruction, MLA Sudip Roy Barman raised issues with the shift from Bengali to English. He claimed that many students, who had studied in Bengali, now had to take exams in English and were being passed with grace marks. In response, Dr. Saha pointed out that 85% of Class 10 students and 75% of Class 12 students had passed their exams. He also highlighted efforts to support the transition, such as training camps by CBSE experts and special classes for board exam students.
Despite these assurances, the opposition remains skeptical about the quality and future of the Vidya Jyoti schools.
