Punjab govt to launch ‘Smart Schools System’

[Edevelop]

LAHORE: The Government of Punjab has decided to introduce “Smart Schools System” in the province.

This was disclosed by the Provincial Minister for Education Rana Mashhood Ahmad Khan while presiding over a meeting to determine the areas of jurisdiction for the proposed Private Educational Institutions Commission on Sunday.

Under the proposed system, 55,000 public sector schools, both for boys and girls, will be transformed into centers of excellence through many innovative means including the provision of computer tabs of I-Pad size to all the students of 8th to 10th grade.

These computers tabs will be uploaded with the course comprising the syllabus of the relevant classes.

Provincial minister for education informed the meeting that the Punjab government will start supplying computers tablets to “Smart Schools” next year and more than 1.2 million students will be provided with this latest tool of learning every year.

The students will download their educational course in the class room through internet and in this way the kids would get rid of heavy bags filled with so many curricular books to carry from their homes to schools.

Rana Mashhood Ahmad Khan further informed that the computers server of every smart school will be linked with the central digital library of the government of Pakistan. This step will enable all the students coming from various socio-economic segments of the society equal reach to the latest available knowledge in the world.

The minister termed it a significant step towards introduction of unified educational system which would ensure all the hardworking students to excel in their studies and they would have all opportunities to progress in life as the elite classes of the society already possesses, he added.

During the meeting, the minister announced that the Private Educational Institutions Commission will consist of 17 members including eight official and nine non-official members.

The non-official members will be nominated from known educationists, technocrats, philanthropists and NGOs.

The minister further announced that the chairman of the commission will be nominated from the non-official members.

He said the Commission will be authorised to monitor the working and performance of privately managed educational institutions and regulate them through issuing instructions for their improvement.

The Commission will also play role in solving issues, problems and disputes between teachers, students, parents and the administration of the private educational institutions.

Members National Assembly Muhammad Pervaiz Malik, Mehr Ishtiaq Ahmad, MPAs Khawaja Imran Nazir and Ayesha Javed, Chairman Punjab Examination Commission Prof.

Zaffar Iqbal Qureshi, Chairman Punjab Text Book Board Nawazish Ali, Chairman Punjab Curriculum Development Authority Saleem Akhtar Kayani and Secretary Schools Education Punjab Abdul Jabbar Shaheen attended the meeting. Renowned educationists from private sector were also present on the occasion. online

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2013\12\02\story_2-12-2013_pg13_6

 

[xyxmt]

would be nice if they buy tablets from companies who built it in the country, but commission comes first.

 

[Chak Bamu]

Best to deal with ghost schools first. Fancy projects can come later. Where the hell are our priorities? I would rather have government of Punjab improve education budget and deal with ghost schools first. It might take a year or two. Then we can go for fancy high tech stuff. That would be the right and appropriate thing to do. Meanwhile we can launch a pilot scheme. But let us make it a federal initiative rather than a government of Punjab brain wave.

BTW, I know that the Punjab government is patronizing a scheme to assemble laptops at Sundar Industrial Estate. These tablets would probably be done similarly. While there is an opportunity to abuse the system for personal benefit. I believe long term benefits would be positive though.

 

[Jazzbot]

A similar thread is already running: Punjab Government to introduce Smart Schooling in the province

However, its sad to see that in a country where millions of kids are still out of schools and are forced to do child labor, these clowns are busy buying these kind goodies. To hell with priorities..