Classrooms in State-run schools set to go digital

In a bid to make learning more interesting, the Andhra Pradesh government is planning to introduce digital classrooms from next academic year in model primary schools and in high schools of zilla parishad and other categories in both Telugu and English mediums.

While 1,242 digital classrooms have already been set up — comprising 352 Kasturiba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas, 155 model schools from sixth standard onwards, 51 APREI schools, 734 ICT high schools and 450 junior colleges — it is proposed to have such classrooms in 3,600 high schools and 3,886 model primary schools next year.

The main objective is to utilise audio-visual/ digital material to the maximum extent to make teaching more interesting and provide conceptual clarity to students, said K. Sandhya Rani, Commissioner for School Education, AP Government. Request For Proposal (RFP) would be called from private companies to provide audio-visual/digital material in Telugu and English mediums.

The move is also expected to reduce books burden for children as tablets would be provided to them in a phased manner.

Biometric system

The government has also decided to introduce biometric system to monitor attendance and ensure that school uniforms and textbooks are correctly delivered to students.

Besides, it would also ensure transparency and prevent the scope for any malpractice in implementing the mid-day meal scheme. Three different technologies were being tried out on a pilot basis in schools in Chittoor and Visakhapatnam districts and the best among them would be scaled up for implementing all over the State.

An SMS-based daily monitoring of the attendance for mid-day meal programme in 5,000 schools was also taken up in Srikakulam district.

The government also started career counselling for Class IX and SSC students in State-run schools in Guntur, Krishna, Kurnool and Anantapur districts in the first phase.

It would be extended to all districts in the next academic year. Plans are afoot to introduce vocational courses in six trades as an additional subject for SSC and Intermediate Board exams from next year.