RTE norms indicate that there should be one classroom for every teacher and that a school with enrollment of 61-90 students should have three teachers. The report reveals that 45.5 per cent of schools in the state have playgrounds, 23.9 per cent have drinking water facility, 27.4 per cent have "usable toilets" including 15.9 for girls and 59.4 have kitchens for cooking (mid-day meals).
The report also brings to light the fact that almost 60 per cent of pupils studying in Class V in both government and public schools in the state do not know the art of division in arithmetic, while almost 20 per cent pupils in Class III are unable to even recognize numbers.
According to the report, over 50 per cent of pupils in Class III cannot read Class I level text books and over 30 per cent of Class V kids cannot fathom what;s written in Class II syllabus in their own language.Interestingly, according to the ASER findings, only 16.1 per cent of school pupils in the state take private tuition.
In the meantime, amidst the delay in sanctioning of funds under the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) scheme by the Centre, the state education department has assured that textbooks would reach the school students by March 7.
"The textbooks will reach the respective schools covered under flagship programme by March 7," education minister Ampareen Lyngdoh asserted while peaking to reporters here. However, officials said the state was yet to receive the full sanctioned amount for the flagship programme for 2010- 2011.
About 230 Upper Primary and 180 lower primary schools in the State avail of the SSA scheme catering to a majority of children especially in rural areas.