E-boards will transform Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan: Prakash Javadekar

Nearly 1.5 million classrooms in schools and colleges in the country will be provided with Digital Boards under the Operation Digital Board (ODB) initiative, said Union HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar here on Tuesday. Digital boards will be installed in classrooms from 9th grade to post-graduation and the project will be completed in three years.

Pointing out that former Prime Minister late AB Vajpayee launched Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, which helped to reach education to every section of the society, he said the 'digital board' project would enhance the reach of education to a greater extent.

The digital board will make it possible to teach a single concept through various angles. It will be easier for students to participate in a discussion on the topic in presence of expert teachers, thereby enhancing the quality of education.

The Maharashtra International Education Board has created 13 international schools and the schools are named after Bharat Ratna AB Vajpayee, Javadekar said. The Union Minister was addressing a gathering of students, teachers and officials at Sahyadri Guest House here.

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Maharashtra Education Minister Vinod Tawde, minister Pankaja Munde, MoS Agriculture Sadabhau Khot, computer expert Dr Vijay Bhatkar, actress Swaroop Sampat, among others, were present.

Minister Tawde said the pilot project will have 13 schools as international schools after which 100 more will be made international. At present, all schools are government ones. In the next phase, aided and self-financed schools too would be included under Bharat Ratna AB Vajpayee International School project. He said the pressure on CBSE schools would ease with the formation of these international schools.

"Maharashtra used to be ranked 15 and 16 in education earlier. The state now ranks third," said CM Fadnavis, expressing confidence that the project will help Maharashtra climb even higher.