School Education Department focuses on upgrading schools, infrastructure

7,500 smart classrooms will be set up in elementary schools: Minister

Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi

Minister for School Education Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi has said 7,500 smart classrooms will be set up in elementary schools at a cost of ₹150 crore in the 2022-23 academic year.

This was among the 34 announcements made in the Assembly on Monday. 

“This will be the first phase, and more smart classrooms will be set up over the next four years. A total of 2,713 middle schools will also get advanced computer technology labs,” he said. To help students improve their English communication skills, 6,029 government high and higher secondary schools will get English language centres, he said.

Acknowledging that there were vacancies in teacher posts, the Minister said that as a first step, the Teachers’ Recruitment Board (TRB) will fill 9,494 vacancies this year. 

“The Illam Thedi Kalvi Scheme, which was initiated to address learning gaps due to the pandemic, will be extended for the next six months. The response to the scheme has been overwhelming - while we needed only around 1 lakh volunteers, over 6.6 lakh people from across Tamil Nadu registered themselves to volunteer and teach,” he noted. 

To nurture the best of the available talent in academics, sports and art, a school of excellence will be set up in Chennai, and ₹7 crore had been allocated for the same, he said.

The Minister also announced the launch of a scheme which will take both learning and therapy to the homes of children with multiple disabilities. As many as 10,146 children will benefit from this initiative. 

With a focus on the maintenance of government schools, the Minister said funds to the tune of ₹100 crore had been allocated to enable the outsourcing of services to ensure cleanliness in classrooms and washrooms, and to provide personnel to guard schools at night. Schools have also been encouraged to maintain vegetable gardens on campus. 

Apart from announcements focusing on improving the physical health of students, the School Education Department has also called for observing an awareness week, when topics including mental health, prevention of abuse against children and prevention of substance abuse will be discussed.