676 govt schools in Assam don't have power connection, 283 lack boys' toilets: Education minister

GUWAHATI: A total of 676 government schools in Assam do not have any form of electricity, while 283 schools lack boys' toilets, Education Minister Ranoj Pegu said on Tuesday.

In a detailed post on X, he said that the government is working to provide all necessary infrastructure by March 2027. "...676 schools -- representing 1.53 per cent of the total 44,243 government schools in Assam -- currently lack any form of electricity," Pegu said.

The government has already earmarked Rs 4 crore during the current financial year to provide electricity connections to all these schools, he added. Besides, 643 schools also do not have regular electricity connections, but are powered through solar energy systems, the minister said.

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'Over 10,000 schools in Assam have digital education facility'

"With regard to sanitation, the government has achieved 100 per cent coverage of girls' toilets in all government schools. At present, only 283 schools (0.64 per cent of the total 44,243 schools) do not have a boys' toilet," he added.

Action has already been initiated to construct boys' toilets in all these remaining schools during the current financial year, Pegu said. On digital infrastructure, he said that out of 10,965 schools managed by the Government of Assam, 10,033 schools are already equipped with at least one digital learning facility -- either an ICT laboratory, Tele-Education, or a Smart Classroom.

"The remaining schools are yet to receive digital infrastructure. During the current financial year, 328 additional schools will be provided with ICT laboratories, reducing the number of uncovered schools to 608," Pegu said.

The state government has already drawn up a plan to achieve 100 per cent saturation by equipping these remaining schools with digital infrastructure in the next financial year, he added.