Kerala 'first state' with digital classrooms in public schools

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has declared the state as India's first with digital education in public schools.

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan officially declared Kerala as the first state in the country to set up digital education in public schools.

Bygone are the days when merely private schools aided students with digital classrooms. Hi-tech classrooms have been set up in all public schools in the state. About 3,74,274 digital devices were distributed to 16,027 schools in the 'Smart Classroom' project. In the first phase, classes 1 to 7 were supplemented with hi-tech labs and hi-tech classrooms were set up for 8 to 12 standards in 4500 schools.

"The slogan 'excellence of schools turns academics excellent' is brought into action with the initiative. Digital aid will enhance better understanding and retention among students, alleviating their burden with smart techniques", said Minister of Education, Prof C Ravindranath in a video on October 11.

Read:Kerala 'first in the nation' to digitise public schools

The project was funded by Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board, KIIFB under the leadership of Kerala Infrastructure and Technology for Education, KITE. The project will raise the academic standards of the public education sector in Kerala, he added.

As COVID-19 pushed for online education, Kerala government catered to the educational needs of the students with its already established Victers channel. Turning the challenge as an opportunity, the state set up high tech classrooms in public schools by fast-tracking the initiative launched on January 21, 2018.

According to the National Statistical Office survey, the state has the highest literacy rate in India, 96.2%. The digitisation move will lead the education sector in the state further ahead.