Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Wednesday inaugurated 34 new school buildings in different constituencies. The schools were built as part of the ruling LDF government’s 100-day action plan to improve public education in the state. The 34 buildings were inaugurated via video conferencing on Wednesday, September 9.
These include eight schools in Kozhikode, five in Kannur, four each in Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam and Ernakulam. Three schools in Kottayam and two each in Malappuram and Idukki, one in Alappuzha and Thrissur too have been inaugurated. The buildings have hi-tech classrooms, kitchen blocks, dining areas, toilet blocks, science and computer laboratories etc. Earlier, 22 buildings (under the Rs 5 crore category) were built and handed over to the state. Another 14 will now be built.
One of the major election promises of the LDF was the transformation of the Government schools. That promise has been kept. Investments in infrastructure & modernization have led the change. As a commons, these schools play an integral role in inclusive development. pic.twitter.com/KDszmKYYLW
— Pinarayi Vijayan (@vijayanpinarayi) September 9, 2020
Kerala had set aside Rs 3,129 crore for developing basic facilities in the school. As part of the programme, the state plans to construct 250 new school buildings across different constituencies. In over 350 existing schools, basic services are being made available. The government is spending the money through the KIIFB (Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board).
“The government has set aside Rs 5 crore for 141 schools, Rs 3 crore for 395 schools, Rs 1 crore for 446 schools. A total of Rs 2,336 crore is being used to make schools the center of excellence. The state is spending Rs 793 crore for high-tech classrooms in the public education sector,” Pinarayi’s statement on social media read. According to reports, infrastructure upgradation of 32 schools have been completed under the Rs 3 crore category.
Pinarayi also added that some sections were trying to push false news regarding the school projects.
“The fake news that is being spread is that all the schools are being built in the North Kerala or Malabar region. But this is not true. From Balaramapuram to Chelakkara, we have built 19 schools,” he added.