Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, on Thursday, emphasised that amidst the global challenges posed by COVID-19, Prime Minister Narendra Modi not only safeguarded the country’s population of 140 crore but also introduced a New Education Policy.

“This foundational initiative has motivated us to propel the vision of a ‘New India’ forward. The PM SHRI Scheme is a crucial component of this initiative. In the first phase of PM SHRI, 928 schools with classes from first grade to 12th will be upgraded at the cost of Rs 404 crore,” the chief minister noted.

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said this during the inauguration of the modernisation work of PM SHRI schools with a sum of Rs 404 crore and transfer of funds of Rs 347 crore for saturation of infrastructure facilities in secondary schools under Project Alankar at Lok Bhavan on Thursday.

Criticising the previous regimes for neglecting educational facilities in the state, the chief minister stated, “Before 2017, underprivileged children in the state were compelled to attend schools lacking facilities, teachers, or connectivity. Moreover, these schools were on the brink of closure.”

“Since assuming office, we have initiated the upgrading of basic schools through Operation Kayakalp. Presently, 96 per cent of basic schools have been upgraded through Operation Kayakalp. These enhancements include additional classes, toilets, labs and the introduction of smart classes,” he added.

During the event, Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan and Chief Minister Yogi distributed appointment letters to newly-selected Group B officers. Before this, Chief Minister Yogi visited an exhibition organised by children at Lok Bhavan. Tablets were handed over to several principals to integrate schools with technology, and certificates were given to various teachers for conducting smart classes.

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath emphasised the significance of the School Chalo Abhiyan, initiated to prevent dropouts, which successfully connected every teacher, officer and public representative.

“As a result, there has been an increase of 40 lakh children attending schools. During the campaign, it was observed that children were attending school barefoot and in shirts during cold weather. In response, the government is disbursing funds through direct benefit transfer (DBT) in April for children’s bags, books, sweaters, and shoes,” he said.

The chief minister further said that to address the shortage of teachers in schools, the government recruited 1.25 lakh teachers.

PM SHRI (PM Schools for Rising India) scheme is an innovative experiment in basic education to connect children with technology.

Chief Minister Yogi pointed to a similar initiative –Atal Residential School – in the state, saying that in alignment with this approach, integrated schools were being established in 57 districts with an allocated budget of Rs 1,000 crore.

“Previously, students from the state sought coaching in other states. Following the COVID-19 period, the Abhyudaya coaching programme was launched, which is conducted both virtually and physically in every district. Presently, children are preparing for competitive exams such as NEET, IIT, UPSC, etc. IPS, PCS and other officers are devoting an hour daily to coaching classes. Consequently, the children of the state are securing jobs through various competitive examinations,” he said.

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath highlighted the significant improvement brought about by his government, contrasting it with the previous regimes’ expertise in facilitating cheating during exams. He noted that students from Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and other states used to enroll in Uttar Pradesh due to the availability of copying materials during exams.

Chief Minister Yogi said upon assuming office, his government implemented strict measures to ban cheating in exams and undertook substantial efforts to enhance school infrastructure. “As a result, prestigious global educational institutions are expressing interest in establishing their branches in the state,” he pointed out.

Chief Minister Yogi emphasised that through the National Education Policy, India was poised to reclaim global leadership in education. He said Uttar Pradesh, with its five crore students, would play a pivotal role in achieving this and elevating the state and the country to new heights through various educational initiatives.

Ministers Gulab Devi, Sandeep Singh, Surya Pratap Shahi, Chief Secretary Durga Shanker Mishra, Additional Chief Secretary (Finance and Secondary Education) Deepak Kumar, Principal Secretary (Basic Education) Dr MK Shanmuga Sundaram and others were present during the programme.