Shimla, Feb 27 (IANS): Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh said Friday the state has achieved one of the country's best enrolment rates in higher education.

Presiding over the meeting of the state higher education council here, he said education was among the top priority sectors of his government and it was a matter of pride that the state had emerged as one of the pioneering states in education sector.

He said the state had second highest literacy rate and enrolment rate in the age group of 6-14 was 99.7 percent. Besides, the student learning level was also best and the dropout rate was less as compared to the other states.

The chief minister suggested the assessment of students in schools should not be done by the teachers of the same school but by teachers from other schools.

He also directed to compulsorily teach English, mathematics and Hindi subjects in all primary schools.

Singh also said that the government would consider opening a college of fine arts in the state.