Independent MLA from Jamshedpur East constituency of Jharkhand, Saryu Roy, has set an example for other lawmakers of the state by starting free coaching classes for poor high school students.
Roy announced on Monday about the free coaching initiative for all poor students between Classes VIII and X under the Veenapani Paathshala.
“Food, education and health have been focus areas. I had started providing food packets at Rs 5 to the poor in my Assembly constituency since the Covid lockdown and now it has stabilised. Now I want to focus on basic education for underprivileged students of high school. Classes VIII and IX are crucial for any student to pursue higher studies and we would like to improve their basics so that they can pass secondary (matriculation) examination with good marks. It will help them in future studies too,” said Roy.
Roy, a former BJP leader and a former cabinet minister, shot into limelight after defeating erstwhile chief minister Raghubar Das in 2019. He was also a whistleblower in the multi-crore fodder scam under the then Bihar chief minister Lalu Prasad Yadav and mining irregularities during Madhu Koda’s tenure as Jharkhand chief minister. Both Lalu Prasad and Koda were convicted later on.
Political observers termed Roy’s initiative as a novel idea for Jharkhand. “We saw earlier this year Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) MLAs opening free coaching centres in their constituencies to train the unemployed youngsters for the mega recruitment drive that was announced by chief minister K. Chandrashekar Rao recently so as to help them in various competitive examinations.
“However, free coaching for basic education for all poor students by an MLA is certainly a novel idea, at least in Jharkhand,” said Umesh Kumar, president of the Jamshedpur Abhibhavak Sangh (a parents’ outfit).
Retired regional education officer (REO) of Kolhan, S. P. Singh, has been made convenor of the pathshala.
“We have made a routine of all subjects (English, mathematics and science) for Classes VIII, IX and X. There will be weekly tests and results on the OMR sheet. We have got a panel of retired teachers who will be offering their service at a very nominal rate. We already have got 75 students and classes will commence from July 13 at a space in my MLA’s office at Baridih,” said Roy.
The MLA said that as the number of students increases, the shifts would also be increased.
“At the moment we have only one shift. But if the number of students increases, we would increase the shift. After a while depending on the success of the project and if the number of students increase significantly, I would meet Jharkhand education minister (Jagarnath Mahato) and chief minister (Hemant Soren) to allow us to use facility of high schools in the evening (non-school hours) for few hours to provide coaching to poor students,” said Roy.
Students will also be given grants for books, provided they give receipt of purchase of books from the shop.
“Students will only have to show us proof of purchase of books and we are going to reimburse the cost of purchasing the books to the students (or parents),” said Roy.
There are over 10 high schools in the Jamshedpur East Assembly constituency.
There are also plans to take service of retired government doctors to start free consultation facilities for poor patients in the Assembly constituency.
Modi visit
Preparations are underway for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Tuesday visit to Jharkhand’s Deoghar district, where he is scheduled to inaugurate multiple projects, including an airport, officials said.
Modi will also lay foundation stones for fresh projects and take part in an 11.5-km-long road show, a senior police officer said, adding that security has been tightened in the district.
The PM, during the visit, will pay obeisance at Baba Baidyanath Dham Temple, one of the 12 Jyotirlingas, the officer said.
