Delhi govt to build 21,000 smart classrooms in four years: Education Minister

New Delhi, Aug 11 (IANS) Delhi Education Minister Ashish Sood said on Monday that the government aims to build 21,000 smart classrooms in the next four years.

He said that as part of reforms in the education sector, AI-based language labs and attendance systems using facial recognition will also be implemented in Delhi government schools.

Chairing the Golden Jubilee celebrations of Modern School, Vasant Vihar, Sood said AI will be utilised more and more for complex and important tasks like paper checking.

“The Chromebook model will equip schools with technology,” he said, adding that under the guidance of PM Modi and the leadership of Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, the Delhi Government is bringing about major changes in the field of education.

Sood extended his best wishes to Modern School's Principal, Trustees, President, Secretary, parents, and students on the eve of Independence Day.

Addressing the students present, the Education Minister said that this 50-year journey of Modern School is not just a number, but a half-century-long voyage filled with their hard work, dreams, and values, which has shaped thousands of students into responsible citizens.

He described the 79th Independence Day and the school's 50th year as an opportunity for introspection, saying, "We must think about what we will give back to the country and to Delhi when we complete our education from school."

Today, India faces formidable challenges such as climate change, the ethical use of artificial intelligence, the geopolitics of semiconductors, and shortages of water and energy. To tackle these, the new generation must come forward as a confluence of Indian values and modernity, he said.

Sood further said that patriotism is not limited to just hoisting the tricolour but should also be reflected in everyday habits and discipline, such as the habit of cleanliness, following traffic rules, and respecting the rights of others.

He also mentioned that on the call of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the "Each One Clean One" cleanliness campaign has been launched in Delhi and making it a habit is the real contribution.

The Minister quoted Gandhiji's thought, "Be the change you want to see in the world," to the children, stating that we must become the change we wish to see in our country.

Sood added that previously, IAS officers, doctors, and engineers used to emerge from government schools, and now the Delhi government is again providing facilities in government schools, which are on par with private schools.

For this purpose, the experiences and suggestions of private schools will also be taken, so that together, Delhi's education system can be taken to new heights, he said.

--IANS

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