The education department is set to begin a residential school for poor students under the Sarv Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) in Ludhiana. Along with free lodging and boarding,the school will provide free coaching for students from Classes VI to VIII. In Punjab,three districts have been selected where such schools will come up. These include Ludhiana,Jalandhar and Amritsar. Anil Matharoo,District Coordinator of SSA in Punjab,said: Greater Ludhiana Area Development Authority has approved land for setting up the residential school. About 1,000 sq ft area has been selected near HIG Flats in Sector 32 on the Chandigarh Road. The official paperwork is almost complete. Along with the piece of land,we soon hope to get possession of the 7-8 rooms that have been constructed. He added: The hostel building will be constructed later as we are yet to receive funds. But from the next academic session,the school will be functional. There will be hostel facilities for 100 boys and girls each,who will either belong to below poverty line families or have come from distant places. Initially,we will start the school with 200 students. We have already started selecting them, said Harpal Kaur,District Education Officer (Elementary),Ludhiana. The state SSA has already started Residential Bridge Course (RBC) at Ahata Sher Ganj and Millar Ganj in Ludhiana. The aim of the RBC is to bring school dropouts into the mainstream. Dropouts in the age group of 6 to 14 years are being provided free boarding,lodging and coaching facilities. Gradually they will become a part of the mainstream and be admitted along with regular students.
