PNS | Vijayawada
Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has directed the officials of the Education Department to gear up for the distribution of a second batch of tablets to eighth-grade students and teachers later this year.
Addressing a review meeting on Thursday, the CM stressed the importance of providing training sessions on tablet usage to digital assistants operating in village and ward secretariats. He further instructed the officials to install Interactive Flat Panels (IFPs) and smart TVs in classrooms of all schools that have completed the first phase of the ‘Nadu-Nedu’ programme by December.
The Chief Minister stressed the need to ensure broadband connectivity for all schools equipped with IFPs and smart TVs in their classrooms by December. He urged officials to make the entire syllabus available to students promptly.
According to the latest updates, a total of 30,213 IFPs have been deployed in 4,804 schools, while smart TVs have been installed in 6,515 schools. Teachers have also undergone training on the use of IFPs.
Assessing the progress of TOEFL training for students, CM Jagan suggested allocating at least half an hour daily for this purpose.
Regarding the introduction of the International Baccalaureate (IB) syllabus in government schools, the Chief Minister instructed officials to develop an action plan for a phased integration with the existing curriculum. He emphasized that this move would elevate the status of government schools, making them competitive with private corporate schools. In response to queries about introducing subjects related to Artificial Intelligence (AI) in government schools, officials revealed ongoing efforts to provide AI and emerging technology training to students in grades 6 and above.
This initiative would involve partnerships with nearby engineering colleges and the development of a dedicated app.
Jagan also emphasised the need for high-quality meals in schools, insisting on strict adherence to Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and robust monitoring mechanisms. Special attention should be given to providing nutritious food to anemic children identified through the Jagananna Aarogya Suraksha program.
Officials reported significant success in retaining student enrollment at various levels, with a remarkable 100% retention rate at the elementary level, 96.94% at the senior secondary level, and 74.9% at the higher secondary school level. Thanks to these efforts, 8,352,738 students continue their studies from Class 1 to Plus 2, and 91.33% of students in Classes 3 to 9 have successfully completed their first English assessment test.
Additionally, officials informed CM Jagan about the ongoing progress of the second phase of the ‘Nadu-Nedu’ programme, where high schools are being upgraded to junior colleges in certain Mandals to ensure each Mandal has a junior college for girls.
Education Minister Botsa Satyanarayana, Chief Secretary KS Jawahar Reddy, Education Department Principal Secretary Praveen Prakash, Finance Secretary N Guljar, Commissioners S Suresh (School Education) and K Bhaskar (School Infrastructure), Director of Midday Meals Nidhi Meena, APEWIDC Managing Director CS Diwan Reddy, Chairman Nagarjuna Yadav, and other senior officials were present.
