Kerala: First State to become Digital in Public Education

The State of Kerala is the first state in the country to make public education completely digital. The state Government has achieved it at a cost of Rs 42.36 crores. The initiative was launched in 2018.

Highlights

The project of making public education completely digital in Kerala was implemented by Kerala Infrastructure and Technology for Education.

About the project

Around 3,74,274 digital services were distributed in 16,027 schools in Kerala. The project also set up high-tech labs in more than 11,275 schools at primary and secondary levels. Today, more than 12,678 schools have access to high speed broad band connection. There are more than 45,000 high-tech class rooms spread across 4,752 schools under the project. The project has provided Information and Communication Training to more than 1,83,440 teachers.

The high-tech classrooms were established as a part of Public Education Rejuvenation Mission. This was achieved by providing projectors, webcams, laptops, television, DSLR cameras and other digital equipment.

Education in Kerala

Kerala has been achieving highest literacy rate in the country. The current literacy rate of Kerala is 93.91%. The reasons why Kerala was able to maintain high literacy rates was provided by the Annual Status of Education Report. The key findings of the report are as follows

• The students of Kerala had the highest ability in mathematics as compared to the other students in other states
• Kerala had launched General Education Protection Mission under which learning levels in government schools of Kerala increased. After the launch of the mission, the performance of the students increased
• The Government measures to increase infrastructural facilities regularly is yet another reason for Kerala to perform better in education
• The percentage of enrolment in government schools are high as compared to private schools when it comes to higher secondary education.
• Kerala gives equal importance to pre-primary, primary, secondary and higher secondary education unlike other states. This is another main reason for the percentage of enrolment to increase in government schools. Students do not drop out after certain level of education as in other states.

Month: Current Affairs - October, 2020