Under digitalisation plan, govt schools in AP to get FTTP connection soon

VIJAYAWADA: The State government has come up with another initiative to digitalise the government schools. It has directed the School Education Department to sign an MoU with BSNL on mutually agreed terms and conditions to provide Fibre to the Home (FTTP) connection to all the government schools equipped with computing devices. The government is also prepared to meet the internet charges from the funds being allocated for maintenance of ICT labs, smart classrooms etc. Teachers and parents have welcomed the move.

Mallepogu Bhaskar, Joint Secretary to Government of AP, has sent a copy of the draft agreement for FTTH connection at Gram Panchayat level under Bharat Net to  Commissioner of School Education S Suresh Kumar. The Additional Secretary, Department of School Education and Literacy (DSE&L), Ministry of Education, Government of  India, has informed that the internet charges for the schools can be met from Rs 48,000 released under Samagra Shiksha for the maintenance of e-content, digital resources and internet as well as Rs 38,000 being released as recurring charges under Samagra Shiksha for the maintenance of smart classrooms.

The Joint Secretary has also stated that for the schools without ICT labs or smart classrooms, but with a few computers, internet charges can be met from Management Monitoring Evaluation and Research (MMER) funds being released under Samagra Shiksha or can be met from any other funds.

Speaking to TNIE, Inamanamelluri Padma Sudha Mani, PGT Mathematics, AP Model School, Mavillapadu, Tirupati district, said the teacher community will welcome the decision of the government to provide internet to schools. If the FTTP connection is provided, it will help more to run digital classes and also interactive sessions with foreign children, who are showing keenness to interact with AP students virtually, she added.

Panduranga Varaprasad Rao, former general secretary, AP Teachers Federation (APTF), said they are welcoming the provision of internet connection to the schools. He demanded that the government provide separate devices along with internet facility for the face recognition attendance of teachers as well as students.

Samala Simhachalam, founder State president of AP SC and ST Teachers Association, said, “It is gratifying that the government has taken steps to provide BSNL internet connection to government schools. Due to this facility, online lessons will be available to students studying in rural and tribal areas. We welcome the initiative,” he added.