Tripura’s BJP-IPFT (Indigenous Peoples Front of Tripura) government has decided to hand over 20 schools to the International Society For Krishna Consciousness (ISKON)-affiliated Indian Tribal Care Trust(ITCT). This process is in a bid to improve the quality of education. The state has a total of 4,398 government-run and aided schools. Out of these, 13 schools were shut down due to non-enrolment of students while another 147 schools have less than 10 students, they have been adjusted as per the state government.
The Indian Tribal Care Trust requested the state government to hand them over 53 schools. The state decided to give 20 schools to ISKON for five years. The minister said the state is going to sign an agreement with them soon. Of the 20 schools, 7 each are in West and South districts,3 in Sepahijala district, 2 in Khowai district and 1 in Gomati District. The schools have been handed over on the condition that the following guidelines of the Right to Education Act, getting affiliations of either CBSE or ICSE, the introduction of English as a medium of teaching etc. These schools should have a minimum of 30 students. The state government will provide the student`s textbooks for free and also a midday meal. The organisation will look after academics but won’t have ownership rights.