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Move to bring all kids under basic education

Staff Correspondent

671 new Alternative Innovative Education centres to be opened in Punjab

CHANDIGARH: While clarifying that there was no proposal to close down the 2,982 Education Guarantee Centres (EGC) under the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan in Punjab, the State Government has announced that the number of Alternative Innovative Education (AIE) centres could be increased to bring all "out of school" children under the ambit of elementary education.

According to an official release quoting an official spokesman here, the Government has proposed to set up 1,239 new EGCs and 671 new AIE centres across the State during the current Plan period. It also proposed that 88 existing EGCs be upgraded to full-fledged primary schools with all necessary infrastructure facilities.

The Government would lay special emphasis on bringing "out of school" children living in urban slums and brick kilns. Major towns of the State are being covered under the scheme, where a special health and hygiene kit comprising of a comb, soap, oil, toothpaste and brush as well as a school readiness kit containing a uniform, bag, tiffin, pencil box, stationary and footwear would be provided to each child enrolled. To make the EGCs and the AIE centres more attractive and enhance the teaching-learning process, the Government would provide a comprehensive educational kit of games, picture charts, calendars, story books and blocks.

So far, 3,339 Education Volunteers have been employed at the existing 2,982 EGCs, while the State Government has sent a proposal to the Centre to increase their monthly honorarium from Rs. 1,000 to 1,200.

The spokesman also sought to deny media reports that the State did not receive any grant from the Centre.

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