Jamshedpur, Oct. 14: Government and government-aided schools in East Singhbhum today were made aware about Swachh Vidyalaya Puraskar, a Union ministry initiative to reward clean schools under Swachh Bharat Mission.
Though the puraskar started in 2016, schools in East Singhbhum are taking part for the first time this year as their applications had been delayed last year due to ignorance, said an official who did not want to be named. Other major districts Ranchi and Dhanbad had taken part in the award initiative last year too.
On Friday, district education officer (DEO) of East Singhbhum R.K.P. Singh made school principals aware about the programme and how to apply for it on the website www.swachhvidyalaya.com within October 31.
Two sessions were held simultaneously in Jamshedpur today, one at state-run People's Academy High School in Baradwari, and the other at state-aided Utkal Samaj Uchcha Vidyalaya in Golmuri.
At People's Academy, 87 high school principals were present for the three-hour session while Utkal Samaj Uchcha Vidyalaya saw 150 heads of primary and middle schools.
"The workshops informed school principals the premise of Swachh Vidyalaya Puraskar and how to apply for the award online and on what parameters each school would be marked. Many schools in our district have the potential to win. The application process is transparent and schools must prove they have implemented initiatives they promised (in the survey)," Singh said.
In its second year, Swachh Vidyalaya Puraskar would judge schools on infrastructure such as water connection and toilets, behavioural change including children washing their hands with soap, among others. Registration, which started from September 1, can be done with a school's U-DISE (unified district information system for education) code.
While schools will get certificates of recognition at the district and government grants at state levels, 100 best performing schools at the national level will get Rs 50,000. Certificates of recognition would be awarded to 10 best districts on the basis of the percentage of their schools vying for awards at the national level.
