Education
Rajasthan BUDGETS for virtual schools in 2016-17
Rajasthan budget 2016-17 has announced a new horizon for school education, especially in government-aided schools, which will, with effect from the current financial year, be armed with technological advancements.
The Vasundhara Raje-led government, in sync with Modi’s Digital India campaign, has stepped up the pedal. As was expected, the Rajasthan budget 2016-17 has announced virtual classrooms for as many as 770 secondary and senior secondary schools in the state.
This comes as a part an initiative taken by the central government of India, which aims at providing funds for and support to every school to set up at least one smart virtual classroom and to which end it has sought from every state government to submit a list of schools that can have virtual classrooms.
The identified schools to be enabled with virtual classrooms will have all the basics, like computers, speakers, web cameras, projectors, electronic interactive whiteboards, etc.
With this the governments at the state and central level intend to arm deprived students with technological education. For the purpose, Rajasthan Secondary Education Council (RSEC) has also asked schools to get the teachers trained in computer and gadget usage for which the Rajasthan District Institute of Education of Teachers (DIET) in Jaipur, Alwar, Ajmer, Barmer, Bharatpur, Bhilwara, Dungarpur, Jaisalmer, Kota and Udaipur will be provided with facilities for video conferencing, computers, HD screens, projectors, etc.
Along with Rs58.65 cr for vocational training in 380 selected schools, the Raje-led government has also announced an annual budget of Rs60 cr to provide laptops to outstanding students. The budget has also addressed the lack of electricity connectivity in schools with an allocation of Rs13 cr for the purpose, besides Rs180 cr for civil construction in deprived schools plus Rs50 cr for reconstruction of school buildings.