Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): The school education department’s push for digitalization in government schools, aiming to match the infrastructure seen in private institutions, is still far from being realized.
Despite efforts, only 5.7% of government schools across the state currently have functional desktop computers, according to a recent report from the ministry of education’s department of school education and literacy.
Moreover, out of the 473 government schools equipped with Information and Communication Technology (ICT) labs, only 313 labs are functional. Out of 92,695 government schools in the state, a mere 5,253 have operational desktops, while government-aided schools fare only slightly better, with 215 functional desktops among 740 schools.
The availability of laptops and notebooks is equally sparse, with just 9.3% of schools having access to these devices. The report also reveals that just 505 schools have PCs with functional integrated teaching and learning devices.
Functional smart classrooms, which are equipped with digital boards, smart TVs, or virtual classrooms, are available in only 2,126 government schools and a mere 44 government-aided schools.
The data, collected during the 2021-2022 academic year through the Unified District Information System for Education Plus (UDISE+), reflects the persistent challenges in bringing digital learning to government schools.
Rs 2.40L per school allocated
Under the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan, the school education department aims to establish digital learning in government schools across the state.
For this, a budget of Rs 2.40 lakh per school has been allocated for providing teachers with e-learning platforms and training through digital platforms like DIKSHA and NISHTHA. In this school, students were equipped with modern devices, including two i3 12th-generation desktops, 65-inch Android LED smart TVs, and backup power supplies to support digital learning.
