PANAJI
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said science laboratories in 350 schools will be upgraded and these schools will also have their sports infrastructure improved as he allocated Rs 3850.98 crore for the government education sector.
Devoting a significant part of his budget speech to education, Sawant quoted South African icon saying education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.
He said science laboratories will either be set up or upgraded in 350 schools and another 71 vocational labs will be set up.
He also said that his government intends to upgrade in a phased manner computer labs in all schools of the State.
Sawant has also earmarked Rs 21.86 crore from the education budget to broaden the scope of 'Coding and Robotics’ introduced by his government last year.
Setting up an ICT Pedagogical Training and R&D hub for schools, amending the recruitment rules for teachers so as to make it compatible to changes made by the National Education Policy and compulsory registration of all pre-primary schools to track progress of students are some other measures covered by Sawant in his budget.
For Higher Education, Sawant said the department will host 'Massive Open Online Courses' (MOOCS) and provided Rs 5-crore for it. The Higher Education Department will also provide guidance and training programmes for Goan youth to equip them to answer competitive recruitment exams of the Central government.
Sawant also announced in the course of his budget speech that the National Institute of Technology (NIT) will commence functioning from its own campus from May this year.
Also, to improve scientific temper and love for science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics, Sawant said Digital Technology Experiential Centres will be established in both North and South Goa.
