These students in Jajpur, Odisha will no longer have to travel 25 km for higher education

The Jajpur district administration has decided to establish two junior colleges in two high schools of Sukinda Chromites Valley under the Sukinda block, Jajpur district, Odisha. These plus two colleges (higher secondary schools) will be opened in Kaliapani High School at Kaliapani and Mahamayee Government High School at Kuhika. 

All three disciplines of Arts, Science and Commerce will be launched in the two high schools. The infrastructures and other expenses, including the salary of the faculties of the said project, will be meted out of the District Mineral Fund (DMF) money. 

Jajpur Collector Chakravarti Singh Rathore, who happens to be the managing trustee of the DMF, has written to the Principal Secretary of the state government of the Department of School and Mass Education seeking permission for ensuring plus-two courses of all disciplines in these two high schools. "Education is an important sector and is being given high priority by the DMF. The district administration has planned for the opening of plus-two courses in all three disciplines in two high schools under Sukinda Chromites Valley. These two projects are highly essential as there is no access to higher education in the Chromites valley," said Jajpur Collector Rathore in his letter to the School and Mass Education Department. 

He said that the DMF Trust Board has already given consent in its recently held trust board meeting to open plus-two courses in these high schools. He also mentioned in his letter that the infrastructure and other expenses including the salary of the faculties with regards to the said projects will be meted out from the DMF money. 

Notably, hundreds of tribal students of at least nine gram panchayats under Sukinda Chromites Valley are facing great inconvenience in accessing higher education as there is no junior college (higher secondary schools) or college in the areas. They have to go to Sukinda College, which is located around 25 km from their villages, to access higher education. They also face great inconvenience in attending classes in Sukinda College due to the absence of any public transport system in their area.