VIJAYAWADA: The School Education Department is planning to turn, at the initial stage, all the 161 model schools across the State into student-friendly, tech-driven institutions, which will set a trend in the State.
The main idea that inspired officials to embrace such a plan seems to be their primary concern for the school kids, who carry the heavy load, in the form of books, on their back. As part of the plan, the government intends to set up lockers — for each student in the model schools — in which boys and girls will keep all their books, exercise books, other materials etc., and take home only those that they will need to take back. The department is reportedly planning to come up with improved infrastructural facilities in all government schools across the State by the time the new academic year begins.
According to sources, the department will focus on all 161 model schools across the State as part of a pilot project. All these model schools will get digital classrooms, lockers and modern infrastructure. Apart from those in the model schools of the State, the department is also planning to come up with similar facilities in the over 2,000 municipal schools in the State. The proposal for a complete makeover of the municipal schools was also sent to the Municipal Administration Department.
Speaking to TNIE, principal secretary of the Education Department, Adityanath Das said, “We all know that majority of the students are suffering (due to the weight of) heavy and bulky bags. As we can’t stop children from doing homework or carrying books, we want to bring some furniture and make children use those. We are shortly coming up with full-fledged infrastructure in all government schools — from lockers to toilets, compound walls to shelves.
For this, we are spending `1,000 crores and soon these will be ready and students can keep their books in the lockers and take home only those they need. This would cut the burden of carrying heavy bags without affecting their academics.
Also, we will make sure that the private schools too provide lockers to their students soon”. According to sources, in Andhra Pradesh 10-year-old children studying in Class 5, carry bags, each on average weighing 8 kgs and usually their weight is around 20-24 kg, each. For students studying in higher classes the number of books go up to 60, including workbooks and study materials given in schools.
“We feel sad to see our children carrying huge load of books on their backs and suffer from pain. Introducing locker facilities in schools is definitely a great idea,” said N Poserao, a parent.