PM SHRI schools urged to set a benchmark in education

Tirupati: District Collector Dr S Venkateswar emphasised the need for PM Schools for Rising India (PM SHRI) to maximise their resources and set a benchmark in education through best practices.

He highlighted the importance of creating a conducive learning environment with a focus on high-quality education that is easily understandable for students.

Addressing a meeting here on Tuesday, the Collector along with District Education Officer (DEO) Dr V Sekhar met with school principals, MEOs and education officers from schools selected under the PM SHRI programme. The discussion centred on the importance of utilising the infrastructure and facilities provided by the government to strengthen the educational framework in these schools.

Dr Venkateswar stressed that the Central and State governments are working in tandem to uplift the selected schools by providing necessary infrastructure, including digital libraries, chemistry labs and sports facilities. He mentioned that 66 per cent of funding for this initiative comes from the Central government, with the remaining 34 per cent from the State government.

The project, which spans five years from 2022 to 2027, will enhance facilities and teaching methods in 40 selected schools across the district. The Collector urged school officials to adopt innovative teaching methods and improve existing resources to ensure a higher quality of education. As part of the PM SHRI initiative, 23 schools were selected in the first phase and 17 in the second.

These schools are expected to operate under the guidelines of the National Education Policy-2020, with the goal of fostering inclusive education and nurturing responsible future citizens.

During the review, the Collector suggested expanding play areas and enhancing teaching materials, with a special focus on reducing dropout rates among female students. He encouraged schools to use social media to showcase their best practices and establish student clubs like Scouts and NCC to develop leadership skills.

On this occasion, the Collector honoured Kunati Suresh, a social studies teacher from the Zilla Parishad High School in Uranduru, for receiving the National Best Teacher Award from the President. The event also celebrated the achievements of other outstanding educators and students who participated in national-level programmes, including those invited to the Independence Day celebrations in New Delhi. Officials from various departments, including the district academic monitoring officer and the PM SHRI nodal officer were present.