Koraput (Orissa) , Aug. 29 : Union Human Resource Development (HRD) Minister Kapil Sibal on Saturday said the Government was planning to set up over 2,500 model and 200 central schools on public-private- partnership (PPP) basis in the country in next two years

Inaugurating the much-awaited central university in this tribal-dominated town, which often witnesses Maoist violence, Sibal informed that the proposed model schools would be set up in the backward areas to provide primary education to all as "higher education has no meaning unless primary education was strengthened."

"The schools would be set up in PPP as part of our efforts to strengthen the human resource base," Sibal said during the function.

Sibal also asked corporate houses to invest in a big way in the education sector.

Corporate houses should come forward to invest in the education sector as developing human resources is the key to the success of any nation, Sibal said.

He remarked that though the country made progress in the field of education in the last 62 years, it required much more.

"About 1.5 lakh Indian students are going abroad for education. We will like to provide all facilities in the country so that students need not go to foreign countries."

Sibal also said only 12 out of 100 students reach the graduation level in India, while the figure was 85 in the US and added that the Central universities in backward places like Koraput could help students get into higher learning. (ANI)