CM Jagan ordered to make arrangements for tab distribution to students

Vijayawada: Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy directed the education department officials to get ready to distribute second instalment of tabs to students and teachers of Class 8 this year. At a review at the camp office on Thursday, the Chief Minister told them to arrange training classes on the use of tabs by the digital assistants working in the village and ward secretariats. He told them to fix IFPs (interactive flat panels) and smart TVs in classrooms of all schools which have completed first phase of Nadu-Nedu by December. Similarly, complete broad band facility should be provided by December to all schools which are equipped with IFPs and smart TVs in the classrooms and complete syllabus should be made available to the students, he suggested. He was informed that 30,213 IFPs have been arranged in 4,804 schools and smart TVs have been fixed in 6,515 schools. Teachers were also given training on the use of IFPs. Taking stock of the progress in TOEFL training to students, he said that at least half-an-hour should be allotted daily for the purpose. Enquiring about the steps being taken to introduce International Baccalaureate (IB) syllabus in government schools, the Chief Minister told the officials to prepare an action plan to introduce it at least in phases and integrate it with the present syllabus. He said that the profiles of the government schools must be upgraded with the introduction of such syllabus as it makes them better than the private corporate schools and takes their status to the next level. When he asked about the introduction of AI subjects in government schools, officials said that efforts are on to provide training in AI and other emerging technology subjects to students of Class 6 and above by linking schools to nearby engineering colleges and introducing an app. The Chief Minister also directed them to ensure high quality of food is served to school students by implementing SOPs and adopting strict monitoring procedures. Officials said that the special drive undertaken to retain the student strength at various levels has been giving excellent results with 100 per cent, 96.94 per cent and 74.9 per cent strength being retained at elementary, senior secondary and higher secondary school levels. As many as 83,52,738 students are found continuing their studies from Class 1 to plus 2 due to the efforts of the special drive, they said, adding that 91.33 per cent of the students from Class 3 to 9 have written the first assessment test in English. Officials told him that Nadu-Nedu second phase works are in full swing and in some mandals, high schools are being upgraded into junior colleges to ensure that every mandal has one junior college for girls. Education minister Botcha Satyanarayana, chief secretary Dr K S Jawahar Reddy, education department principal secretary Praveen Prakash were among those present.