Lamjing Maheikol : Whip cracked against poor implementation
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, March 02 2020:
Director of School Education, Th Kirankumar has warned to take up disciplinary actions against those officials who fail to complete the projects and works taken up under Lamjing Maheikol, which is a programme designed to improve schools, under Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA), by March 20 .
Speaking to media persons at SSA office at Babupara today, Kirankumar said that under Lamjing Maheikol, 70 schools were selected during the financial year 2017-18, and Rs 2.15 lakh were released for each of the selected school in the last week of March, 2018 .
However, it was found that the funds were not properly utilised in 10 of the schools under Zonal Education Office (ZEO) Wangoi, namely Phoubakchao High School, Samushang Santipur High School, Sekmaijin High School, Malom Megha High School, Langthabal Phuramakhong Primary School, Haoreibi Junior High School, Khagemba Junior High School, Chajing Mairenkhong Upper Primary School, Yumnam Huidrom High School and Irom Meijrao New Primary School.
After investigation by the Department, around Rs 10 lakh were collected from the officials concerned and then handed over to the head masters/head mistresses/school development committee of the 10 schools today, the Director added.
He continued that the Department will send officials to inspect all of the 70 schools after March 20 and if any shortcomings are encountered, appropriate disciplinary actions will be taken up against those responsible.
Kirankumar explained that Lamjing Maheikol was launched at Gurukul High School, Thangmeiband and Praja High School, Lamsang, as a trial during the financial year 2016-17 .
The programme was aimed at increasing the number of students getting enrolled in Government schools and to prevent the students from transferring to other private schools.
There is no set rules or guidelines specifically describing what development works can be taken up under the programme and the parameters of developing one school is different from another, the Director explained, adding that after the initiative received positive feedbacks from the teachers and the public, it was branched out to include 70 schools.
On the other hand, it may be mentioned that in the last week of January, UNLF had alleged various short comings regarding the works done under Langjing Maheikol and had even named some officials allegedly involved in corruption and other unethical practices.