Bhubaneswar, March 8: The school and mass education department has decided to de-link Class VIII from the secondary schools and add it to the upper primary schools across the state from the upcoming academic session.

At present, the upper primary schools in the state are providing education till Class VII, while the decision to add Class VIII has been taken to strengthen primary education. The high schools will continue to have Class IX and Class X in the state-run schools.

"We have issued instructions to all the block education and district education officers to comply with the decision. They have been asked to identify the schools where Class VIII is functioning and also the nearby upper primary schools, where the class will be shifted," said a department official.

Elementary education director B. Sethi told The Telegraph that the process of adding Class VIII to the upper primary level had already been finalised. "According to the Right of Education Act, Class VIII should be added to the upper primary level instead of the present secondary level. The students will start studying Class VIII at the upper primary level from this session," said Sethi.

At present, there are about 21,000 primary and upper primary schools functioning across the state imparting free education to about 66 lakh children.

Moreover, there are more than 7,000 state-run secondary and high schools imparting education to the children in Class VIII to Class X. According to government data, the gross enrolment ratio in the secondary and high schools stands at 75 per cent.

The state government has also decided to open Class VIII in the aided upper primary schools.

The block and district education officers have been asked to identify such aided schools, where there are no government upper primary schools nearby. "Such schools will be identified and Class VIII will be opened only after accessing reliable details," said the official.

In order to check the dropout scenario, the state government has decided to recruit more teachers mainly in the aided schools prior to the opening of Class VIII. Sources said that if there was no government upper primary schools nearby to the aided school, the students might find it difficult to continue their study after Class VII - for which, the dropout rate could be shot up.

The present dropout rate at the primary and upper primary levels are 2 per cent each. In high school level, it is 16 per cent, according to a study.

Educator Janmejaya Mahapatra said the government should ensure to appoint quality teachers before opening Class VIII at the upper primary level.

"It is evident that a teacher of Class VII or Class VI may not be able to teach the students of Class VIII. The subjects are different so as the syllabus. The government should appoint good teachers to ensure quality education," said Patia resident Mahapatra.