File picture of a residential school in Ranchi

Ranchi, June 20: The backyard of tribal icon Albert Ekka will soon nurture budding minds.

The Union ministry of tribal affairs has approved setting up of an Eklavya model residential school in Albert Ekka block of Gumla district. The ministry has sanctioned a sum of Rs 12 crore for creating the infrastructure of the school, that will provide education to tribal children free of cost.

A fortnight earlier, the Centre also released Rs 2 crore to the state government to begin construction work for the proposed institute.

“The Eklavya residential school has been sanctioned by the Centre to provide quality education to tribal children of Gumla,” Naresh Prasad Yadav, deputy director, state tribal welfare department, told The Telegraph.

The proposed school will be the sixth Eklavya model residential school in Jharkhand. The other residential schools are located at Salgadih in Tamar, Ranchi, Chaibasa in West Singhbhum, Kathijoria in Dumka and Bhognadih and Barhait in Sahebganj district.

“The welfare department will soon issue a tender inviting private builders to set up infrastructure for the proposed Eklavya school in Albert Ekka block. The process will take about two months,” said a department official.

Once the infrastructure is ready, the department has to appoint faculty members, select students and run the school.

The state has identified about 16 acres near the Albert Ekka block headquarters for establishing the residential school. Officials in the welfare department pointed out that the school would function from the next academic session, as the construction work would take some time.

Eklavya model residential schools are special schools that provide education, including lodging, food, uniform and study material, to tribal children for free. These schools admit 60 students each to class VII, based on entrance examinations conducted by the welfare department. The residential schools run classes up to XII standard. The welfare department runs 150-odd residential schools for tribal students. However, the Centre-sponsored Eklavya schools are considered a cut above the rest. The Eklavya schools also encourage free education for children belonging to poor families, especially orphans.

“Local residents are excited about a new Eklavya model residential school here, as it will provide high quality education to their children for,” said Niranjan Kumar, district welfare officer of Gumla.