Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram

Project to improve school standards unveiled

Thiruvananthapuram: The city Corporation has unveiled an ambitious project to improve academic standards in schools and ensure better infrastructural facilities.

The scheme involves maintenance of schools, construction of classrooms, supply of laboratory equipment, projectors, benches and desks, white boards and books for school libraries. A comprehensive sports development scheme has also been worked out, Mayor C. Jayan Babu said.

The Corporation has earmarked Rs.15 lakh for the supply of uniform and umbrellas to anganwadi and nursery schools in the Corporation area.

Mr. Babu said a sum of Rs.1.25 crore had been handed over to Parent-Teacher Associations for the construction of 50 classrooms in 11 city schools. “A sum of Rs.23 lakh has been spent on the purchase of laboratory equipment for 31 upper primary schools, high schools and higher secondary schools. Another Rs.3.25 lakh was utilised to equip nine schools with projectors.”

The Corporation also spent Rs.35 lakh on 933 pairs of benches and desks for 42 schools and Rs.15,000 on books for school libraries.

As many as 94 white boards were supplied to 13 lower primary schools under an ongoing scheme.

The Mayor said the Corporation was incurring an annual expenditure of Rs.1 crore on supplying milk and eggs to 18,000 children studying in anganwadi nurseries and lower primary schools.

“Last year, we organised a local history congress for 150 children selected from various schools. The scheme will be implemented this year also. The sports training camp will also be organised this year.”

Mr. Babu said children from indigent families would be selected for Ashraya scholarship this year.

The Corporation is also planning to introduce vegetable farming in all high schools and higher secondary schools this year. “The pilot project in 10 schools last year was a success. It was received well by the students and parents. Our aim is to ensure that the students are able to produce at least one basket of vegetables for this year’s Onam.”

Deputy Mayor V. Jayaprakash said the Corporation had begun the construction of two stadia and two swimming pools as part of a project to nurture sports talent in school children.

G.R. Anil, chairman of the standing committee on education, said 5,000 children admitted to Standard I in the government and aided schools in the city would be given school bags and umbrellas free of cost.

Minister for Law M.Vijayakumar will inaugurate the distribution of kits at a function to be held at the Government Higher Secondary School, Manacaud on Monday.

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