E-Paper
Most U.P. primary schools yet to procure smart speakers
Additional project director, “Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan”, U.P., Rohit Tripathi has sent a missive dated June 6, 2022 to all BSAs instructing them to procure Bluetooth enabled speakers at the earliest
Government-run primary schools of many districts lag behind in gearing up to impart quality education using modern gadgets as envisaged by the state government. As part of the preparations, district officials on February 8, 2022, were instructed to procure two Bluetooth enabled speakers for each of these schools but even this is still pending in many districts, including Prayagraj.
The missive, a copy of which is with HT, had informed the Basic Shiksha Adhikaris (BSAs) that the government of India’s project approval board for “Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan” had approved procurement of English kits for the primary schools under foundation literacy and numeracy (elementary) initiative. As per the missive, it has been decided that two Bluetooth enabled speakers each at a cost of ₹1000 per speaker would be procured for all government-run primary schools by a decentralised process through school management committees (SMCs). However, most districts have failed to procure these speakers till date.
Upset over the delay, additional project director, “Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan”, Uttar Pradesh, Rohit Tripathi has again sent a missive dated June 6, 2022 to all BSAs and ordered that the procurement of the Bluetooth enabled speakers be completed at the earliest.
State education department data show that Bluetooth enabled speakers have been purchased for all government-run primary schools (100%) in just a handful of districts of the state, including Amroha, Basti, Chandauli, Jhansi, Kanpur Nagar and Mainpuri.
In majority of others only part purchases have been made including Hapur (92%), Kaushambi (90%), Bareilly (85%), Mahoba (80) and Aligarh (54%) even as in many districts the speakers have not even been purchased for half the total count of existing schools, including Ayodhya (43%), Bijnor (36%), Balrampur (13%) Auraiya (15%), Badaun (16%), Kannauj (10%), Hathras (4%) Hamirpur (9%), Gonda (8%).
In select districts like Prayagraj, Bhadohi, Gorakhpur, Lucknow and Mau “0%” procurements have been made till date. A total of 2,460 government-run primary schools exist in Prayagraj. Bluetooth speakers have not been purchased in any of these schools so far.
Officials conceded that the gadget could not be purchased here due to non-opening of SMC accounts and lack of budget despite instructions to teach students using these modern tools from 2022-23 academic session.
“Due to budget constraints, the purchase of Bluetooth enabled speakers could not be done in Prayagraj. A letter has been sent to the government requesting for budget for the same. The equipment will be procured as soon as the budget is received,” said Praveen Kumar Tiwari, BSA, Prayagraj.
