Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said, “The state government is moving ahead with the recruitment process for 20,000 new teachers and instructors to further strengthen the transformation journey of the Basic Education Council.”

The Chief Minister was addressing the felicitation ceremony and enhanced honorarium cheque distribution programme for 24,717 part-time instructors organized by the Basic Education Department at Lok Bhavan auditorium on Sunday.

He said, “The government is continuously making efforts to improve the quality of education. In this direction, an Education Commission has been constituted, which is selecting teachers at various levels.”

He stated that the requisition for 10,000 new teachers has already been sent, while new instructors will also be appointed in upper primary schools, which will improve the student-teacher ratio.

The Chief Minister said, “In 2011-12, the appointment of part-time instructors under the Basic Education Council began with the objective of providing education to children aged 6 to 14 years under the Right to Free and Compulsory Education Act. At that time, instructors were paid a monthly honorarium of Rs 7,000. At present, 8,469 instructors in art education, 9,645 in health and physical education, and 6,192 in work experience education are serving, taking the total number to 24,296.”

He said that from 2011-12 to 2022, there was no increase in their honorarium. During a meeting with the instructors’ federation in 2019, he had personally sought a proposal, but a decision could not be taken due to the election notification.

He added, “In 2022, the government increased the honorarium by Rs 2,000, but even the government itself was not satisfied with that increase.”

The Chief Minister said, “The government believes that instructors, Shiksha Mitras, and every employee associated with basic education should receive dignified respect and honorarium. Accepting long-pending demands, the government has now increased the honorarium of instructors to ₹17,000 per month. Along with this, they and their families will also receive cashless health insurance coverage of up to ₹5 lakh.”

He directed all instructors to immediately register on the portal prepared by the Basic Education Council so that health cards can be distributed at a major ceremony next week.

The Chief Minister said, “Connecting nearly 1.43 lakh Shiksha Mitras, 24,296 instructors, teachers, and non-teaching staff with social and health security is a priority for the government.”

He said that anyone continuously contributing towards strengthening the foundation of education in India must be guaranteed social security. The increased honorarium will be transferred directly to bank accounts, and the cashless health facility will also be linked to it.

He added, “In 2019, the government had granted women instructors six months of maternity leave with full honorarium. In 2023, a voluntary school transfer facility was also introduced, under which more than 4,000 instructors got the opportunity to choose schools of their preference.”

The Chief Minister said, “When our government came to power in 2017, the condition of the Basic Education Council was extremely poor. Proposals had even come forward to discontinue the services of instructors in schools with fewer than 100 students, but the government rejected them and launched the ‘School Chalo Abhiyan’ and ‘Operation Kayakalp’. Today, as a result, 96% of basic schools have access to basic facilities and there has been significant improvement in school conditions.”

He said the dropout rate, which earlier stood at 17-18%, has now declined to nearly 3%, and the government aims to reduce it to zero.

The Chief Minister said, “Every child is born with some form of talent. Some excel in sports, others in art or science. It is the responsibility of teachers and instructors to identify children’s hidden talents and provide them opportunities to grow.”

He said children should not be suppressed, but inspired and guided in the right direction.

“Self-discipline, punctuality, cleanliness, and values are important components of the education system,” he added.

Appealing to the media, he said, “If children are seen participating in voluntary labour activities, it should not be portrayed negatively.”

He added that children should not be made overly delicate; instead, they should be made strong, disciplined, and self-reliant. He also said that teachers promoting discipline and cleanliness among children should be honoured rather than punished.

The Chief Minister said, “‘Operation Kayakalp’ has been presented by NITI Aayog as a success story before the nation.”

He stated that this transformation has been made possible through the collective efforts of teachers, Shiksha Mitras, and instructors associated with the Basic Education Council.

He added, “Due to the government’s clear intent and transparent policy, nearly 1.6 crore children are now studying in Basic Education Council schools across the state.”

He said the government has ensured arrangements for shoes, socks, uniforms, sweaters, and other facilities for children. Funds are being transferred directly into the bank accounts of parents.

He assured that books would also be made available on time. Most importantly, children should remain connected with the school environment and participate not only in studies but also in sports and other activities.

The Chief Minister said, “18 Atal Residential Schools have been established for the children of labourers and destitute families, where 18,000 children can live and study together. These schools have been provided with world-class infrastructure, and the government is bearing the full cost of food and accommodation. On similar lines, two Chief Minister Composite Schools are being developed in every district, offering education from pre-primary to Class 12 along with sports, skill development, and modern facilities.”

He said that Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas have been upgraded from Class 8 to Class 12 in the first phase. Funds have now been allocated to establish one Kasturba Gandhi school in all 825 development blocks. He added that the success stories of daughters from poor families continue to inspire the government.

Referring to global circumstances, the Chief Minister said, “Just as tensions between Iran and the United States affect the entire world, similarly, if even one child remains deprived of education, the consequences are borne by the entire society and nation.”

He added, “Every child must be connected with education to build a Viksit Bharat and an Aatmanirbhar Bharat.”

The Chief Minister added that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the country is moving forward, and the ongoing transformation in the education sector is laying a strong foundation for the India of the future.

Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak, Cabinet Minister Manoj Kumar Pandey, Basic Education Minister Sandeep Singh, Member of Legislative Council Avneesh Kumar Singh, Dr. Lalji Prasad Nirmal, MLA Dr. Neeraj Bora, and Additional Chief Secretary, Basic and Secondary Education, Partha Sarathi Sen Sharma were also present on the occasion.