Chandigarh: After taking several U-turns, some acts of dilly-dallying, couple of alterations, and criticism, the SAD-BJP Government has finally decided to dole out “free” tablets to around 1.5 lakhs Class XII students studying in Punjab Government schools. Though the State Government has time and again announced to provide the tablets to the students, spending Rs110 crore for the purpose, State Education Minister Sikander Singh Maluka has now assured that the tablets will be provided in the “current financial year” only.
Facing severe criticism for not fulfilling its poll promise even after over an year has lapsed, the SAD-BJP government had initially promised laptops, not the tablets, to the students of both senior secondary classes, instead of Class XII only. However, the government has also decided to provide the tablets to the Class XI students too, but in the next fiscal year.
“State Government will provide free computer tablets to all the 1.5 lakh students studying in Class XII in the government schools at a cost of Rs 110 crore for the current financial year,” said Maluka. logging into to technology, the Satellite Based Education (EDUSAT) — earlier launched in 1600 schools — will soon be extended to all the high and senior secondary schools of the state in the current year, stated Maluka.
Maluka in an official statement added that all the Government schools will be fully equipped with requisite staff and infrastructure in science, IT and commerce streams during the current financial year. He added that Education Department had taken major initiatives to strengthen the educational network at all levels of schools, colleges and universities. Besides, he added that around 6.16 lakh eligible students have been provided scholarship amounting to Rs 17.78 crore during the year 2011-12, with effect from the year 2012-13, the system of disbursement of scholarship has been switched over to online mode.