Focus on ICT, vocational courses, Centre tells Tamil Nadu

This was revealed during the approval of annual work plan and budget 2017-18 of Tamil Nadu under the Centrally Sponsored Scheme of Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA). 

In the report, it was said that out of 5,265 approved schools under ICT, the scheme has not been implemented in 4,345 (4,340 normal schools and five smart schools). 

Similarly, when the issue of non-implementation of vocational education in 67 schools approved last year was raised, state education authorities informed that the state planning commission has done a survey on vocational education and the government is taking steps to implement the scheme here based on it. 

Likewise, on the slow progress of Shaala Siddhi, the national programme on school standards and evaluation, state officials informed that the data is available offline. “There are problems in uploading on National Institute of Educational Planning and Administration (NUEPA) portal as it is not friendly,” they said. 

Tamil Nadu also requested that NUEPA may be asked to provide a platform to upload the data offline. 

On the state side, the official also raised the issue of huge variation in transition rate (Class 8 to 9) in boys from 201415 (86.69%), 2015-16 (101.93%) to 2016-17 (96.49%). 

The Transition Rate has increased sharply in 2015-16 and then declined this year. Transition Rate for girls, however, has been increasing steadily in 201415 (89.42%), 2015-16 (91.25%) to 2016-17 (96.70%). The overall transition rate of boys and girls remains almost same as last year. 

On school civil works, the Centre expressed concern that the construction progress of computer rooms, library rooms and art rooms was quite slow. 

Project Director of Tamil Nadu informed that the state has released additional funds under non-recurring head for completion of pending civil works and it would pick up pace.