Raipur Diary | BJP govt to upgrade, overhaul 108 schools

The BJP government in Chhattisgarh has initiated a significant overhaul of 108 government schools in Raipur, earmarking them for modernization and a systemic solution to persistent teacher shortage. This structural reform aims to elevate public education standards, aligning them with high-end private institutions across the state. The Directorate of Public Instruction is actively gathering detailed administrative and staffing data to facilitate this ambitious upgrade. This initiative arrives amid broader, sometimes contentious, efforts to transform Chhattisgarh education landscape. While Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai administration ordered the immediate recruitment of 5,000 teachers in January 2026 to address long-standing vacancies, the state's 'rationalisation' policy of May 2025 has sparked protests from teachers fearing job losses despite official claims of equitable distribution. Furthermore, the state is actively implementing the national PM SHRI scheme, which designates 211 schools in Chhattisgarh for comprehensive upgrades, often focusing on tribal and Naxal-affected regions. These contrasting developments underscore the complex challenge of balancing resource optimization with ensuring quality and access, especially in light of reports like the neglected school near the CM's own residence. Moving forward, the success of this Raipur school upgrade will hinge on effective execution and how it integrates with ongoing state-wide reforms, including the 'Mukhyamantri Shiksha Gunvatta Abhiyan' focused on classroom teaching and parent-teacher engagement. Stakeholders will be closely watching for tangible improvements in infrastructure, resolution of teacher deployment issues, and whether the promised 'modernized setups' genuinely bridge the gap between public and private education, setting a precedent for wider implementation.