Chennai schools are likely to receive assistance from European companies to improve infrastructure and adopt modern technology.
Chennai is also set to receive more funds from the European Union (EU) for improving climate resilience under City Investments to Innovate, Integrate and Sustain 2.0 (CITIIS 2.0). A European Union (EU) delegation, led by Ambassador of EU to India Ugo Astuto, visited schools run by the Greater Chennai Corporation on Tuesday and stressed the need for the adoption of technology from European companies to transform their infrastructure in the 281 schools in the city.
The Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA), through a concessional loan from the French development agency, AFD, and a grant from the European Union (EU), has invested ₹76.20 crore in an effort to transform 28 Corporation-run schools under the CITIIS programme implemented by Chennai Smart City Limited (CSCL). In the final phase, the Corporation-run schools will be transformed at an estimated cost of ₹1,432 crore.
During a two-day visit to Tamil Nadu, Mr. Astuto met with Chennai Mayor R. Priya and Corporation Commissioner Gagandeep Singh Bedi on Tuesday. The delegation, accompanied by the Mayor, visited the Chennai Higher Secondary School at Nesapakkam.
Mr. Astuto said the CITIIS project was very special to the EU as it targeted the youth. “Through this programme, we strive to create an enriching and engaging environment in selected schools, where experiential learning is encouraged and logical thinking is fostered,” he added.
The CITIIS programme under its project ‘Model and Smart Corporation Schools in Chennai’ attempts to reimagine and reinvent the education experience in 28 Corporation-run schools. An analytics-based student monitoring tool will be deployed to track and gauge the students’ performance in real time.
“CITIIS 2.0 will also focus on Chennai’s climate resilience,” officials said.
