80 new schools to come up in Assam in tea garden regions

India Today

12-07-2025

The Assam Government has announced the opening of 80 new model schools in tea garden areas as part of its long-term vision to uplift education in remote and underserved regions.The announcement was made by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma during an interaction with headmasters of Tea Garden Model Schools and Adarsha Vidyalayas in Guwahati on July 10, 2025.'The Assam Government will open 80 more model schools in tea garden areas along with introducing initiatives such as mid-day meal schemes for Classes IX and X students and smart classroom facilities,' Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said.advertisement
He also stated that with the vision of bringing about qualitative changes in the academic landscape of the tea garden areas, the State Government has decided to set up 200 model schools in 800 tea estates across the State.118 SCHOOLS ALREADY FUNCTIONINGAs part of this broader vision, the foundation stones for 118 schools were laid in November 2022, and these schools are now functional in various tea garden belts.The success of these schools has encouraged the government to move forward with the establishment of the next batch of 80 schools.The schools will be spread across 23 districts, including Dibrugarh, Tinsukia, Charaideo, Sivasagar, Golaghat, Jorhat, Nagaon, and Sonitpur, aiming to improve educational access for children in tea estate areas.IMPROVED INFRASTRUCTURE AND INCLUSIVITYThe Chief Minister highlighted the importance of inclusivity and infrastructure development.'The government is also committed to enhancing the infrastructure of the schools along with improving the service conditions of teachers posted in the model schools,' Sarma added.He further stated that students from various communities should also be encouraged to enrol in the tea garden model schools, as it will help in assimilation and fostering harmonious relationships with students belonging to different communities.The schools will be equipped with smart classrooms, science labs, libraries, and playgrounds to ensure holistic learning.'The government will take steps to introduce smart boards and smart classrooms in the model schools,' he said.MEALS, BICYCLES AND HEALTH INITIATIVES PLANNEDTaking note of the dropout rates, the Chief Minister said that the government is considering the option of introducing a mid-day meal for the students of Classes 9 and 10 which is now available for students from nursery to Class 8.To further support students in remote areas, he announced that the government would provide bicycles to students from Class VI onwards to ensure regular attendance.He also said the government is considering introducing a 'School Breakfast Programme' along with mandatory health checkups for students.FOCUS ON TEACHER TRAINING AND ADARSHA VIDYALAYASIn addition to the tea garden model schools, Mr. Sarma took stock of the 57 Adarsha Vidyalayas operating across the state. These schools were set up with a vision to nurture talent, values and creativity through high-quality education.advertisementHe further announced a new move to enhance teacher preparedness, saying that the government will take steps to formalise one year of compulsory apprentice training for BEd students in tea garden model schools and Adarsha Vidyalayas.With these initiatives, the Assam Government aims to not only expand educational access but also improve the quality and inclusiveness of education in the tea garden regions.(With inputs from PTI)- Ends