All Puducherry govt schools to get smart classes soon

PUDUCHERRY: The Puducherry school education department is planning to convert all classrooms in government institutes to smart classrooms, Education Minister A Namassivayam said.

A discussion in this regard was held with a vendor from Bengaluru on Thursday, in which the Secretary of Education A Muthamma, Director of Education PT Rudra Goud and other officials were present. Recently, Classes 10 to 12 in government schools across the Union Territory have Information Communication Technology (ICT) classrooms. The process for smart classrooms was started for middle schools. Students can utilise ICT teaching tools include simulation, modelling, CD-ROMs, teacher web publishing, word processing, spreadsheets, data logging, databases, e-mail, smart boards, interactive whiteboards and Internet.

Now the plans are being  drawn up to introduce smart classes in the UT's 200 primary schools using audio visual devices, smart TVs and projectors, and e-content, where the facility is being planned. Around Rs 1.5 to 2 lakh would be required for each school and funds under Samagraha Siksha Abhiyan could be tapped.

Namassivayam said the government is exploring the latest technologies available and ways to secure funds. Even the ICT classrooms will be further strengthened, he added.

Meanwhile, the education department is moving to implement the Nipun Bharat Mission, for which the Centre has released `10,000. The mission is to create an enabling environment to ensure universal acquisition of foundational literacy and numeracy, so that every child achieves the desired learning competencies in reading, writing and numeracy at the end of Class 3.