Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Sunday said the government hoped to reopen schools for regular classes in January 2021. Announcing the State government’s 100-day action plan, he said school infrastructure was set for a major upgrade to welcome students to an appropriate learning environment after nearly a year’s absence.
Elaborating on the KIIFB-funded projects for schools, the Chief Minister said all government schools with more than 500 students would get a facelift. Projects worth ₹5 crore each being undertaken in 35 schools and ₹3 crore each in 14 schools would be inaugurated within 100 days. Civil works in progress in 27 other schools would also be completed. Construction of 250 school buildings would begin.
The government had created 45,000 high-tech classrooms in the State. All lower primary schools were being made ‘smart’ with assistance from KIIFB. High-tech computer laboratories would be set up in 11,400 schools by the time of reopening, he added.
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Laptop distribution
Within 100 days, the government’s ‘First Bell’ online programme for school students would be improved and the distribution of laptops to 5 lakh students would be launched under the Vidyashree scheme.
Besides inaugurating 10 industrial training institutes (ITIs), the government would sanction 150 new courses in government and aided colleges, of which 100 would be launched by September 15. The construction of permanent campuses for APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University and Thunchath Ezhuthachan Malayalam University would begin within 100 days.
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Mr. Vijayan said the buildings being constructed at a cost of ₹126 crore for 32 higher educational institutions would be completed. A thousand posts would be created at the college and higher secondary levels.