To enhance digital education, the government plans to build around 120 ICT labs in schools across the country. This is one of the projects under the Education ICT Flagship Programme. The Education Minister along with the Indian Ambassador inaugurated the first ICT lab completed in Thimphu today.
The implementation of such labs in schools is one of the first steps towards improving the quality of education in the country.
“The ministry in consultation with Dzongkhag and Thromde has identified around 120 labs that need to be either remodelled or constructed newly. As of now, 33 has been completed,” said Yeshey Lhendup, the deputy chief of the department of school education under the education ministry.
Education officials said improving the current education system will take both time and resources. The education Ministry has allotted Nu 1bn for the Education ICT Flagship Programme, with almost Nu 900 M funded by the Government of India.
“We were asked to teach ICT from classes PP to 6. But since we had only one lab with a limited number of computers, we were not able to start ICT practical lessons for PP to 3. With the new lab, it will be easier,” said Tej Prasad Kafley, an ICT teacher of Rinchen Kuenphen Primary School.
More than11,000 computers will be distributed amongst all the public schools in the country. Likewise, over a thousand school teachers were trained in ICT to assist the students in learning the basics of computers and coding starting from classes PP to twelve.
“I am really happy with the new ICT lab. I would like to learn to code and communicate more with computers and know more about computers,” said Jetsun Nidup Dolma.
“I like this ICT room, it is small but better than the old one. I want to learn how to type in Dzongkha and learn all the parts of the computer,” said Tentshel Loday.
Once the project is complete, students across the country can expect at least a new computer in their respective schools very soon. With this progress, the goal to digitize schools doesn’t seem far-fetched.
Yeshi Dorji
Edited by Yeshi Gyaltshen
