8,663 new schools, 46k toilets constructed till March 31: Govt

New Delhi: As many as 8,663 new secondary schools and 46,280 toilets in schools have been constructed in different parts of the country till March 31 under the centrally-sponsored Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA), Lok Sabha was informed on July 8.

Union HRD Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank said under the RMSA till 2017-18 and Samagra Shiksha effective from 2018 -19, 12,896 new secondary schools, 53,789 additional classrooms, 66,286 toilets and 11,933 drinking water facilities in schools have been sanctioned.

Out of these, states and UTs have reported that 12,100 new schools have become functional and construction of 8,663 new schools, 37,546 additional classrooms, 46,280 toilets and provision of drinking water facility in 10,093 schools has been done till March 31, 2019, he said during Question Hour.

Besides, Pokhriyal said, approval has been given for up- gradation of 44 secondary schools to senior secondary and introduction of new stream in 851 senior secondary schools under Samagra Shiksha in 2018-19.

The RMSA was under implementation from 2009 to 2017-18 for universalising secondary education in the country.

The RMSA programme provided a number of incentives to encourage enrolment and retention of children in schools as well as for improvement of quality of education.

These included enhancing access to secondary schools, strengthening school infrastructure like school building, additional classrooms, laboratories, libraries, arts and craft rooms, toilets, drinking water facilities etc, the minister said.