Lucknow: From ensuring 96% of basic facilities including drinking water and separate washrooms for boys and girls to providing tablet PCs to 2.61 lakh teachers, govt schools in UP have undergone major transformation in past nine years, said basic education minister Sandeep Singh at the conclave ‘Defining Years of Transforming UP’ organised by The Times of India on Thursday. Singh said, “State-run schools, that were once symbols of neglect and disarray, now boast of smart classrooms, digital education and quality teaching.”This transformation, Singh said is not merely a change in terms of infrastructure; rather it’s transforming future of children, trust of their parents and laying of a strong foundation for a ‘New India.’Referring to figures, Singh said, 31,878 schools across the state have been equipped with smart classrooms; ICT labs have been established in 14,988 schools, and digital libraries have been developed in 1,129 schools.Stressing empowerment of girls, Singh said 746 Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas (Girls’ Schools) have been upgraded from Class VIII to XII . “It is only when our daughters are educated that society will become self-reliant and nation will truly prosper. Girls at KGBV now have safe environment,” he said.Criticising previous govts, he said, education system nine years back fell victim to political neglect, corruption and systemic disorder. “There was neither transparency nor any constructive effort to modernise schools during previous govts.”He added that Samajwadi Party’s sole concern was their own political future; they held no genuine concern for future of the children. “Consequently, schools continued to grapple with lack of basic amenities and a dilapidated administrative system.Highlighting UP’s educational journey, from blackboard to smartboard, Singh said govt has elevated education from mere tool for vote-bank politics to the most powerful instrument for nation-building.
