Patna, Oct 23 — Bihar Education Minister Mithilesh Tiwari has directed officials to prepare for the introduction of compulsory computer education for students of Class 6 and above from the next academic session.
As part of the initiative, teachers will first receive computer training at the State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT) to ensure they can effectively teach the subject.
The minister issued the directions during a review meeting at his office in Vikas Bhawan on Friday, where he assessed the progress of various Education Department schemes and instructed officials to accelerate work on school infrastructure and educational reforms.
Tiwari directed officials to ensure that smart classrooms are established in all 700 Saraswati Vidya Niketans designated as model schools by March 31.
He also ordered the construction of boundary walls at model schools that currently lack them.
Emphasising the timely completion of infrastructure projects, he called for the effective utilisation of funds received from the Centre.
To promote traditional education, the minister directed officials to prepare a blueprint for establishing Gurukulam Vidyapeeths in every division of Bihar.
Work on the initiative has already begun in Buxar, where the proposed first Gurukulam is estimated to cost around Rs 70 crore.
He instructed the department’s budget officer to prepare detailed plans for additional institutions and include as many new schemes as possible in the upcoming budget.
The minister also announced plans to revive defunct government-run Sanskrit schools to strengthen Sanskrit education in the state.
In the first phase, renovation work will be undertaken at schools that have their own land.
He further said that the office of the Madrasa Board would soon be shifted to a new building, similar to the arrangement for the Sanskrit Education Board.
During the meeting, Tiwari sought a progress report on projects being implemented under the PM-SHRI scheme.
He also reviewed the status of proposed educational buildings in various districts and directed officials to expedite construction and related work.
The meeting also discussed plans for Bihar Diwas celebrations this year.
Tiwari said large-scale programmes would be organised, with the main event scheduled to take place at Bapu Sabhagar in Patna.
Poet Dr Kumar Vishwas will be invited to participate in the celebrations.
Senior officials attending the meeting included Special Secretary Dharmendra Kumar, Bihar Education Project State Project Director Navdeep Shukla, Director of Secondary Education Nitin Kumar Singh, Textbook Corporation Director Yatendra Kumar Pal, Director of Primary Education Kumar Nishant Vivek and Director of Administration Vijay Kumar Pandey, along with other departmental officials.