Chennai: Aiming to improve the quality of education and also ensure good environment for students, Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami announced numerous welfare measures including providing Smart classrooms for rural students of government schools besides hi-tech laboratories for government high and higher secondary schools.
Making the announcements under rule 110 in the Assembly on Monday, Mr Palaniswami said the government high and higher secondary schools would be provided hi-tech labs. “About 3,090 high schools will get 10 computers and 2,939 higher secondary schools will get 20 computers each. The government has allotted Rs 437.78 crore for this purpose,” he informed. Similarly, infrastructure would be developed at a cost of Rs 39.1 crore.
Additional classrooms, labs, libraries, toilets, conference halls, will be built in 43 government arts and science colleges for Rs 210 crore and they would be called as ‘Puratchi Thalaivar MGR centenary buildings.’ About Rs 105 crore has been allotted for the purpose and work has begun. The remaining Rs 105 crore would be allotted next year,” he added.
The Chief Minister also informed that 268 new branches ( 26 undergraduate, 75 post graduate and 133 Ph. D) will be introduced in colleges from this academic year. To handle these subjects, 660 assistant professors would be appointed and the government would spend Rs. 40.38 crore for this purpose.
Mr Palaniswami also said that finger print reader would be provided to all rations shops across the State for Rs 40 crore. The solatium of Rs 4 lakh given to the forest department officials would be enhanced to Rs 10 lakh, on par with that of police officials.
About 3,000 government primary schools and middle schools in the rural areas would be provided Smart Classrooms in the first phase during which Rs 60 crore would be spent.
School education minister K.A. Sengottaiyan announced that Wifi facilities would be enabled in all the higher secondary schools for the benefit of the 11th and 12th class students.
