Guwahati, July 7: The Assam Government has rejected a media report claiming that 1,640 government schools in the state do not have electricity, stating that the figures are misleading and do not reflect the current status of school infrastructure.
In a post on X, Assam Education Minister Ranoj Pegu clarified that of the schools mentioned in the report, 643 are already powered through solar energy systems. As a result, only 676 government schools, accounting for 1.53 per cent of Assam’s 44,243 government schools, currently lack any form of electricity.
The minister said the state government has earmarked ₹4 crore in the current financial year to provide electricity connections to all the remaining schools, with the aim of achieving complete electrification.
Responding to concerns over sanitation facilities, Pegu said the government has already ensured 100 per cent coverage of girls’ toilets in all government schools across the state. He added that only 283 schools, or 0.64 per cent of the total, are yet to have boys’ toilets. Construction of these facilities has already been initiated and is expected to be completed during the ongoing financial year.
The Education Minister also highlighted the progress made in strengthening digital education infrastructure. Assam has 11,282 upper primary and secondary schools, including 177 Central Government institutions such as Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan schools and Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya institutions. Of the 10,965 schools managed by the Assam Government, 10,033 schools (91.5 per cent) have already been equipped with at least one digital learning facility, including ICT laboratories, tele-education facilities or smart classrooms.
According to Pegu, 936 schools are yet to receive digital infrastructure. During the current financial year, 328 more schools will be provided with ICT laboratories, reducing the number of uncovered schools to 608. This would leave only 1.4 per cent of government schools without any digital learning facility.
He further stated that the government has already prepared a roadmap to achieve 100 per cent digital infrastructure coverage by equipping the remaining schools in the next financial year.
The clarification comes amid public discussion over the state of infrastructure in government schools, with the Education Department asserting that significant progress has already been made and that the remaining gaps are being addressed through ongoing government initiatives.
