Guwahati: The Assam government will begin the construction of 500 schools across the state this February in line with its agenda to improve educational infrastructure, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma informed members of the press on Friday.

Biswa Sarma said that his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) led government is “ready” for the upcoming national election during which Prime Minister Narendra Modi will seek his third term in office.

“We will wrap up our schemes before February 15 such as allocation of ration cards and Udyamita”, he said, adding that the foundation stones for the schools will also be laid in the same month. “We have sanctioned Rs 6-7 crore for each of these schools”, he added.

In February, the BJP will also begin organizing for the ensuing polls, the Chief Minister shared, adding that government activities such as budget and assembly sessions will continue simultaneously.

Ever since he took charge as the Chief Minister of the state, Biswa Sarma has launched several initiatives to improve government-funded educational facilities in the state.
The conversion of 1,281 madrasas across Assam into middle english (ME) schools in a bid to “modernize” them was a key transformative initiative undertaken by the current government.

An Assam government legislation in 2021 paved the way for all government-run Madrasas in the state to convert to regular of general schools under the state board.
At a public rally last year, Sarma said that his government had closed 600 Madrasas and intends to close all Madrasas as he preferred “educational institutions over Islamic institutions”, reported Firstpost.

Last month, reports suggested that the education department has already completed preparations for the merger of 507 government and provincialized primary schools of mother tongue languages in 28 districts under the 'Shiksha Kshetra' scheme citing “student shortage.”

It may be recalled that Biswa Sarma had also engaged in a war of words with his New Delhi counterpart on social media over which state had the better educational facilities.

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