Guwahati, Nov. 27: Education Minister Dr. Ranoj Pegu, on Wednesday, announced a range of development-oriented schemes and policies at Janata Bhawan.

The initiatives aim to address key challenges in the education sector, including teacher shortages, access to quality education, and the development of digital learning resources.

One of the key announcements was the recruitment of 9,000 new teachers, with a focus on proficiency in local languages.

Dr. Pegu highlighted that these appointments will address the reported teacher shortages in various schools and all positions will be filled on a regular basis rather than through contractual employment.

"We are committed to quality education, and recruiting permanent teachers will ensure stability in our schools," he told the press.

The recruitment process will be streamlined through accurate data submission from schools via the Shiksha Setu app, which will assist in identifying the specific subject shortages.

Schools are required to upload their data, which will be verified by the school principals, enabling the Education Department to act quickly to address the gaps.

In addition to teacher recruitment, Dr. Pegu announced a major relief for economically disadvantaged students.

A waiver of admission fees will be provided to students from Below Poverty Line (BPL) families studying in Classes XI and XII at government and provincial schools.

“This will be implemented for the academic year 2024, with Rs. 18 crore being distributed via Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) to 1,145 schools, benefiting over 250,000 students,” he said.

The Minister also revealed plans to outsource Grade IV employee positions, prioritising local candidates for these roles. This decision aims to improve the administrative functioning of schools while creating employment opportunities for the local community.

Further enhancing the quality of education, the Education Department is preparing subject-specific educational videos with the help of teachers.

“These videos will be uploaded on YouTube to facilitate online learning, making it easier for students to access lessons and gain a better understanding of their subjects,” he added.