State to introduce digital classrooms in 29 govt. schools

But many schools in Khammam district are still grappling with poor infrastructure

Even as the State government is toying with the idea of introducing digital classrooms in select State-run high schools from November 14 coinciding with Children’s Day, many government and zilla parishad schools continue to grapple with poor infrastructure, lack of computers and other requisite paraphernalia across the district.

Though computers and other equipment were provided to various State-run schools in the district as part of digital literacy programmes such as Computer-Aided Learning (CAL) scheme in the undivided Andhra Pradesh several years ago, the digital initiatives have failed to achieve the intended outcome.

As a result, costly computers and other audio-visual tools are either underutilised due to dearth of trained computer teachers or have become defunct for want of repairs in most of the schools throughout the district.

More than 50 computers were stolen from various government and ZP schools in Tirumalayapalem, Nelakondapalli, and several other mandals across the district over four years ago hampering the implementation of the computer-aided learning programmes in the past.

In a move to fully leverage the potential of the digital tools to enhance teaching and learning outcomes in government schools, the Telangana government has mooted introduction of digital classrooms in select government schools from November 14.

However, a herculean task awaits the School Education Department to effectively implement the upcoming computer literacy programmes and extend the digital education initiatives to all the State-run schools all over the district in the coming years.

When contacted, the District Educational Officer, Vijaya Lakshmi Bai, said a plan is on the anvil to introduce digital classrooms in a total of 29 State-run schools including 13 KGBVs, two model schools and 14 ZP high schools in the district soon.

The subject teachers of the select schools are being trained in teaching basic computer skills as part of an ongoing training programme in a private engineering college in the town, she said.