KOCHI: Elamakkara Government Higher Secondary School, which keeps alive nearly a century-old legacy, will soon become the first digital school in Ernakulam District. And the educational institution, one of the more prominent government schools with 1,300 students on its rolls, will be revamped at a cost of Rs 10 crore.
The funds will be sourced mainly from the Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIFBI) and Asset Fund of MLA Hibi Eden.
“The primary aim is to ensure a perfect ambience for the students. These include smart classrooms, clean and hygienic toilets, restrooms for the physically-challenged students, a smart kitchen for preparing food for the students, dining hall and advanced waste treatment facilities,” said Hibi.
According to him, the proposal had already got the State government's nod. “Habitat has already been asked to prepare a detailed project report (DPR) in this regard. We are planning something in tune with the development activities carried out at Government Vocational Higher Secondary School for Girls at Nadakkavu, Kozhikode. Our team will visit the Nadakkavu School again to know more about their implementation plan,” he added.
Further, Hibi said they will explore the possibility of getting CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) funds for meeting the project cost.
“The major issue that we face is that we do not have enough space to carry out the necessary infrastructure work. So our plan will be focused on maximum usage of available space. Introducing uniformity among the classrooms — both in seating arrangement and appearance — is also part of the plan,” the MLA said.
A studio will be set up at the school which will be wired to all the classrooms.
“For instance, if a major announcement has to be made or some dignitary wants to address the students, the studio will prove pretty useful. The students can watch it (the address) in real-time from their classrooms,” Hibi added.