Bankura dist police initiative ‘Ankur’ put on hold

Kolkata: The state Education department has issued directions for keeping on hold ‘Ankur’ project initiated by the Bankura District police in which 124 civic volunteers will be trained for imparting education among primary students in the remote areas of the district.

“Our department has not given any approval to such a project. It was conceived at the local level. So, we have directed to keep the project on hold,” state Education minister Bratya Basu said.

According to sources, the Education department will examine the probable outcome of the project before giving its nod.

The Bankura Police District had planned the initiative intending to help the kids to overcome their fear of English and Mathematics. They planned to reach out to all the Gram Panchayats within five police station areas in the forest part of the district and another central place each in the other police stations in the district for the classes.

An NGO has already been roped in by the district police for imparting the necessary training to the civic volunteers.

After a section of people raised a furore over the project, the Bankura District Police on its Facebook page stated that the community policing initiative has nothing to do with the regular schooling of the primary students.

The classes will not be held during school hours. They will not be held on the school premises and the site will be chosen after consultation with the parents who will be joining the initiative.

“The coaching classes provided under the project, which use international standards of pedagogy are in addition to regular school classes and are completely voluntary,” the statement by Bankura police read.