Bhubaneswar: With a view to providing quality education to tribal students, the state government has estimated to invest around Rs 1,012 crore for setting up of state-of-the-art mega education complexes in three tribal dominated districts—Sundargarh, Mayurbhanj and Keonjhar.
The complexes will be built by state public sector undertaking (PSU) – Odisha Bridge and Construction Corporation Ltd (OBCCL) – while a private player will be engaged to run the institutions on public-private partnership (PPP) mode, official sources said here, Friday.
The OBCCL has estimated that Rs 338.35 crore will be required for development of mega education complex in Mayurbhanj district while the complexes in Sundargarh and Keonjhar districts would need Rs 337.25 crore each. The SC, ST Development department will establish the mega educational institutions to impart education to tribal students from Class I to XII. Funds for these institutions will be provided under Odisha Mineral Bearing Area Development Corporation (OMBADC).
At present, more than 1,760 schools including Ekalavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS), Kalinga Model Residential Schools (KMRS), Anwesha and Akanksha are functioning under the administrative control of SC, ST Development department in all the 30 districts.
Due to the remoteness and scattered nature of the institutions it often becomes a challenge to get quality teaching staff to such locations. Therefore, the government has decided to set up these institutions at the three district headquarters, the source said.
Each of the mega educational complexes will be a hub of quality education along with state-of-the-art sports facilities and access and availability of infrastructure to give exposure to art and cultural faculties for all-round development of the tribal students.
These complexes will have residential schooling facilities for both boys and girls, and each complex will house 3,000 students.
The educational complexes will also have smart libraries with more than 5,000 books, encyclopaedia, scientific journals, periodicals, which would rejuvenate and develop thinking skills of students and keep them updated on all current affairs and latest scientific inventions. The administrative and academic management of these complexes will be entrusted with reputed educational institutions to be selected from across the country through competitive selection process, they said.