Focus on quality learning, fund allocation have transformed Gujarat's education sector: Officials

NEW DELHI: The Gujarat government's initiatives like the Vidya Samisksha Kendra, Mission Schools of Excellence and scholarship schemes for students have transformed the state's education sector and drawn the attention of stakeholders, officials said. The government has allocated Rs 43,651 crore for education, including Rs 3,109 crore for the Mission Schools of Excellence and Rs 64 crore for 400 Gyan Setu Day Schools.

Additionally, Rs 50 crore is designated for the annual school vouchers supporting 20,000 talented students under the Right to Education (RTE) scheme, the officials said, ahead of the Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit to be held in Gandhinagar from January 10 to 12. The event will focus on various sectors including education.

Gujarat's school education system consists of 54,000 schools, 4 lakh teachers, and 1.15 crore students, as per official data. The state's education mechanism has been transformed with Vidya Samiksha Kendra (VSK), the centre for continuous monitoring of schools and improvement in learning outcomes of students, officials said. Launched in 2019, the VSK employs 50 trained teachers and analyses 500 crore data sets annually.

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Using big data analytics, artificial intelligence and machine learning, improves the outcomes from online attendance to advanced assessments, they said. Gujarat State Examination Board Chairman Prakash Trivedi said the government worked to realise Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision to have a system for online and real-time monitoring, leading to the creation of the innovative VSK.

"Vidya Samiksha Kendra is the foremost centre in Gujarat where an online monitoring system exists. In the VSK, artificial intelligence, big data analytics and machine learning are being used in monitoring the data," he said. This helps the authorities to keep a tab on the progress of education in schools even in the remotest corners, thereby ensuring that quality is not compromised, as per officials.

Samagra Shiksha, Gujarat, secretary Mahesh Mehta called VSK a unique centre. "It is considered a jewel in the education sector of the entire country. Classroom observation and real-time monitoring can be done from here. In all kinds of schools, when a teacher is teaching, one can do real-time monitoring of the classroom," he said.

The higher education in the state also gets a boost with Rs 390 crore fund allocated for schemes like the Mukhymantri Yuva Swavalamban Yojana and SHODH Yojana, supporting research and student scholarships, officials said. An additional Rs 401 crore is allocated for facilities, research, innovation, and skill development, among other things, they said.