Smart classrooms from next academic year: Botcha

Vijayawada: The state government has been implementing unprecedented educational reforms for the development of education, said minister for education Botcha Satyanarayana. He inaugurated the state-level science fair at Andhra Loyola College here on Monday.

Addressing a huge gathering of students on the occasion, the minister said that education is the only property that is being given to the children and added that the state government was providing better facilities in schools than the Delhi government. He suggested that the teachers focus on bringing out innate talent and creativity among students.

He exhorted the students to follow in the footsteps of Sir C V Raman, Ramanujan and APJ Abdul Kalam and other scientists. He recalled that the state government had been spending huge amounts for the development of education by implementing various schemes for the students.

The minister announced that smart TVs would be installed in all classrooms soon and guest lecturers would be arranged for the benefit of the students. "There would be change in the uniform to be supplied to the students from the next academic year to make them look better," he said. He promised that the problems of government employees and teachers will be resolved soon.

Satyanaryaana stated that the government had banned ragging in the educational institutions and warned that those indulge in ragging will be punished. He advised the students to tell the faculty even if they have any small problem. He suggested creation of awareness about ragging from school level to higher education. Commissioner of school education and director of Samagra Shiksha Abhiyaan S Suresh Kumar said the science fair would help the students to improve their thinking power and creativity. He recalled that science exhibitions were organised from school-level to mandal and district level in the government schools.

The winners in the district-level exhibitions were selected to participate in the state-level science fair. About 260 students at the rate of 10 from each school from every district are participating in the state-level science fair. There are 713 Atal Tinkering Labs in the schools across the state with science equipment worth Rs 10 lakh.

Vijayawada mayor Rayana Bhagyalakshmi said that the government has focused on improving education standards in schools. The students should imbibe competitive spirit and the teachers should encourage them.

District collector S Dilli Rao expressed happiness over the presentation of 260 projects in the Science Fair. The projects included eco-friendly material, health, software, environment and mathematics and others. The selected projects would be sent to national-level Science Fair and the students who were not selected need not be discouraged.

Municipal commissioner Swapnil Dinakar Pundkar appealed to the students to come out with innovative ideas to improve sanitation in the city. NCERT director B Pratap Reddy, Andhra Loyola College principal Fr Kishore also spoke.Later, the students presented various cultural programmes enthralling the audience. Earlier, Minister Botcha Satyanarayana received guard honour from the high school students of KBC ZP, MK Baig, SKPV Hindu, Naval Unit, Netaji, Bishop Azaraiah.