Agartala, January 22 (TIWN): In order to impart the quality education and to drop the number of drop-out students at zero in tribal dominated areas, Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) has introduced altogether 36 Residential and Ashram schools and hostels till December 31, 2014.

“Number of drop-out students now stood at 2.71 percent on average for Class I-VIII while an average of 68.42 percent for school drop-out student was recorded in the year 1998”, said a TTAADC source over telephone. The TTAADC has made a significant change for education in the ADC villages during the period 1998-2014, added source.

“To ensure cent percent retention of students in the ADC schools, the TTAADC opened 670 new schools so far up to 2014 along with modern infrastructures”, added the source.

According to the source, altogether 1791 schools including 1498 Junior Basic and 221 Senior Basic schools are exist in the different District Committee Villages under TTAADC while the authority has initiated to launch more such schools in the current financial year.

“A huge change was made to combat shortage of teacher during the period 1998-2014. A total of 2705 teachers were there under the TTAADC in the year 1998 but at present altogether 6216 teachers are engaged to impart quality education in the ADC villages”, the source informed. At present, the total number of students in ADC villages is 75858 while in 1998 it was 43000, he said.

At last the source said, “Education- being one of the important instruments of social upliftment for schedule tribes, the TTAADC is planning to introduce more such Residential and Ashram schools in the ADC villages soon.”