The State government wants to start a technology centre to provide coaching and guidance for higher education to students from the fishing community, Fisheries Minister K. Babu has said.
To be named the Rajiv Gandhi Technology Centre for Career Studies and Research, the institute will be located within the campus of the Fisheries University at Kochi.
Mr. Babu said this while launching the Edufest programme for students from the fishing community here on Monday. He said that the programme would be organised at 30 fishing community locations across the State.
General counsellingThrough the programme, the students would be provided general counselling, guidance for higher education and employment, and creating awareness in them on the various welfare scheme of the Fisheries Department.
Mr. Babu said that the government was taking steps to improve the facilities and education standards of all the 10 schools under the Fisheries Department. Financial support would also be given to bright students from the fishing community to attend coaching classes for professional colleges’ entrance examinations.
He said that all outstanding educational welfare dues to the fishing community students would be cleared as early as possible. Already Rs.10 crore had been distributed in this connection. Students of the fishing community would be eligible for all benefits given to the students from the Scheduled Communities, he said.
The Minister interacted with the students at the function that was presided over by P.K. Gurudasan MLA. District Panchayat President S. Jayamohan distributed the subsidy for fish farmers. Leader of the Opposition in the Kollam City Corporation, George D. Kattil spoke.