Andhra Pradesh: Officials gearing up to upskill government teachers in handling new technologies

Department of School Education to enlist the services of Indian Institute of Management-Visakhapatnam as it has the domain knowledge in technology-induced training programmes

After distributing tabs to the students and equipping the classrooms with Interactive Flat Panels (IFPs) and smart TVs, the challenge is to make teachers adept at handling emerging technologies.

Gearing up for the new academic year, officials at the helm of the School Education Department are immersed in putting in place tools that will facilitate technology-induced classroom teaching.

After distributing tabs to the students and equipping the classrooms with Interactive Flat Panels (IFPs) and smart TVs, the challenge is to make teachers adept at handling the new technologies.

While the A.P. State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT) is preparing the ground for induction training to 4,000-odd new batch of teachers appointed from the DSC batches in May and June when schools will remain closed for summer holidays, the higher officials in the department are in talks with the Indian Institute of Management, Visakhapatnam, to train teachers on use of IFPs and BYJU’s content.

“The services of IIM-V are being sought as the institute has the domain knowledge in technology-induced training programmes,” says an official of the department.

CBSE syllabus

The new academic year also assumes significance as the affiliation of the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) given to the students of Class VIII in 1,000 government schools last year will be extended to Class IX this year, and to Class X in the academic year 2024-25.

“Earlier, the State had only 347 schools following the CBSE syllabus, 296 private schools, 35 Kendriya Vidyalayas and 16 Jawahar Navodaya institutions. With the government making the shift from State to the Central syllabus in 1,000 schools in the first phase, the total number of schools following the CBSE syllabus in the State has gone up to 1,349,” says Principal Secretary, School Education, Praveen Prakash.

Focus areas

At the behest of Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, who is keen on changing the face of the schools in the government sector by scaling up facilities and equipping teachers with adequate training, the department is focussed on the flagship programmed launched by the government.

The Chief Minister, in a review meeting with the department officials scheduled on April 10, may ask the officials to furnish detailed information about the progress achieved in key areas, including implementation of the schemes such as Jagananna Vidya Kanuka, in view of the approaching new academic year, availability of subject teachers in pre-high schools and Foundation and Foundation Plus schools, action plan for procurement of IFPs and smart TVs, use and maintenance of tabs given to the students and training of teachers in the use of new technology.

Monitoring of academic performance of students, conduct of the Class 10 and Intermediate examinations, gross enrolment ration (GER) of higher education and quality and pace of works taken up under Mana Badi Nadu-Nedu are other aspects that will be discussed threadbare.