E-Paper
Makeover for UP govt schools with child-friendly furniture
The furniture will be child-friendly and provide adequate space between the desk and the chair, keeping in mind the different age groups of the students.
Floor mats in government-run upper primary schools will be replaced with brand-new comfortable desks and benches once schools across Uttar Pradesh reopen one-and-a-half-years after they were first shut down due to the pandemic, state officials said.
The state government has already released ₹327 crore out of the sanctioned ₹488 crore for procurement of child-friendly furniture for 26,599 upper primary schools spread across 70 districts, said state education department.
The state has a total of 45,625 government-run upper primary schools for students from class 6 to 8 and the furniture will cover 58% of these, said the officials.
In 2017-18, the state government procured furniture for a section of these schools, but still a majority of them in rural areas, lack furniture. “Government believes that the furniture would help improve classroom pedagogical practices, instil self-confidence and pride among millions of students who view private schools with envy. The government also hopes that it would spur admissions in these government schools,” said a senior official of the basic education department.
Divisional assistant director (basic education), Prayagraj, Ramesh Kumar Tiwari said the furniture will be procured from one stop Government e-Marketplace portal and the process will be overseen by a committee headed by respective district magistrates.
“The furniture will be child-friendly and provide adequate space between the desk and the chair, keeping in mind the different age groups of the students,” Tiwari said.
Officials said that the furniture will be safe, comfortable and provide adequate space for students to keep their school bags, books and notebooks besides water bottles.
687,036 pieces of furniture is being procured for the 26,599 upper primary schools including 679 in Agra, 569 schools in Gorakhpur, 275 schools in Kanpur Dehat, 209 in Kanpur Nagar, 381 in Lucknow, 340 in Mathura, 359 schools of Pratapgarh, 599 in Prayagraj and 212 in Varanasi among others.
