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Thursday, Jan 24, 2008
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Middle schools to get computers

Special Correspondent

100 higher secondary schools, 606 high schools will also get them

— Photo: S.R. Raghunathan

WARM WELCOME: Governor Surjit Singh Barnala being received by Speaker R. Avudaiyappan at the Secretariat in Chennai on the first day of the Assembly session on Wednesday.

CHENNAI: The State Government will provide computers to 6,650 middle schools run by it and local bodies in the 11th plan, Governor Surjit Singh Barnala announced in the Assembly on Wednesday.

In the past year and a half, 1,880 government higher secondary schools and 1,525 high schools were provided with computers. The remaining 100 government higher secondary schools and 606 government high schools would be given computers this year, he said in his address that outlines the government policy.

“In addition, the government will implement a scheme for providing computers as reward to 1,000 top-ranking Tamil medium students in Class X public examination,” he said.

After having achieved the goal of universal primary education in the State, the Government would set universal secondary education as the new goal so that every child would complete 10 years of schooling. “The Union Government has launched a new scheme for this purpose in the 11th plan and this government will extend its full support for its success,” he said.

Speaking of new initiatives in higher education, he said the Government requested the Centre to establish an Indian Institute of Management in Coimbatore, an Indian Institute of Technology in Madurai, an Indian Institute of Science Education and Research in Tiruchi and a Central University in Tiruvarur district.

It embarked upon schemes to improve employability of youths. So far, 3.53 lakh unemployed youths were given monthly financial assistance. “This Government will pay attention to improving their general knowledge, proficiency in computer and soft skills like spoken English and ability to face interviews,” he said.

Realising the need for special concessions to Arundhatiars, the Governor said the Government proposed to consult all political parties on providing special reservation for them within the quota of reservation for Scheduled Castes. It also earmarked the entire 2007-08 allocation under Special State Assistance of Rs. 25 crore for training programmes for Adi Dravidar and tribal youths. It would continue to strive for reservation for all oppressed classes in Central Government educational institutions and employment in the private sector.

The Government proposed to establish 95 more Samathuvapurams, a residential area where all communities lived in unity.

The first day of the month of Thai would be the Tamil New Year.

To give a fillip to folk arts, it would cooperate in the replication of the Chennai Sangamam festival all over the State in a phased manner in the coming years.

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