Railways to develop schools, colleges
The Ministries of Railways and Human Resource Development (HRD) today signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to develop schools and colleges on railway land for the benefit of the wards of railway employees and others.
The MoU was signed by Ms Anshu Vaish, Secretary, Department of School Education and Ms Vibha Puri Das, Secretary, Department of Higher Education, on behalf of the HRD Ministry and Mr A K Goel, Member (Staff), Railway Board.
Human Resource Development Minister Kapil Sibal and Railways Minister Mamata Banerjee were present on the occasion.
Under the MoU, the two ministries will strive to develop educational instructure on railway land identified by the Ministry of Railways.
This will include around 50 Kendriya Vidyalayas in the civil sector (about 20 during the remainder of the XIth Plan and the rest during the XIIth Plan), 10 residential schools on the pattern of the Navodaya Vidyalayas and an appropriate number of Model Degree Colleges and Technical and Management institutions of National Importance.
These will meet the demand for education from various sections, including wards of Railway employees, either as per the norms specified under the existing schemes/programmes and projects being executed by the Ministry of Human Resource Development or through special programmes and projects mutually agreed by the parties or through innovative financing under public-private partnership (PPP) models or any other combinations of such schemes.
The MoU will cover the development of new facilities as well as the upgradation of existing educational and technical institutions being managed by Railways for which the Ministry of Human Resource Development would provide necessary assistance and know-how in the interest of improving the overall quality of education.
An official press release said the two Ministries would constitute a high-powered working group, consisting of senior officials and experts, to work out a roadmap for implementing the programme.
http://netindian.in/news/2010/02/16/0005359/railways-hrd-ministry-sign-mou-develop-schools-colleges
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