Government to equip Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas with ICT labs, smart classrooms

NEW DELHI: The ministry of education's department of school education and literacy announced to provide Information and Communication Technology (ICT) labs and smart classrooms to all functional Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas (KGBVs) and hostels as per Samagra Shiksha norms.

As per the official press release, this initiative aims to empower girl students, enhance their digital literacy, and improve learning outcomes. The project, estimated to cost Rs 290 crore, will benefit around 7 lakh girls studying in KGBVs.

Focus on girls' education and digital literacy

KGBVs are residential schools providing quality education from Class 6 to 12 for girls from disadvantaged backgrounds, including scheduled castes (SC), scheduled tribes (ST), other backward classes (OBC), minorities, and below poverty line (BPL).

The KGBVs are established in educationally backward blocks to provide access to quality education for girls and to reduce gender disparities across all levels of school education. At present, there are 5,116 KGBVs operational across 30 states and union territories in the country.

According to the official press release, the introduction of ICT labs and smart classrooms is crucial for KGVB students, who often face obstacles in accessing education due to distance, cultural norms, and safety concerns. Digital literacy is essential for their personal and professional growth and helps reduce the digital divide.

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Access to educational resources

The new ICT facilities will provide KGBV students with improved access to various digital resources offered by the department of school education and literacy (DoSEL). These include Study Webs of Active-Learning for Young Aspiring Minds (SWAYAM), Study Webs of Active-Learning for Young Aspiring Minds Prabha (SWAYAM PRABHA), the National Digital Library, e-Pathshala, and Digital Infrastructure for Knowledge Sharing (DIKSHA). This enhanced access to educational resources is expected to significantly improve learning outcomes for these girls.

“In this era of rapid development and integration of ICT with our lives and livelihood, it is crucial that students from all walks of life get the opportunity to equip themselves with modern-day technology. ICT is integrated into the school curriculum to ensure adequate experiential exposure to the students, especially those belonging to disadvantaged groups,” the official press release read.