Alappuzha Inaugurates Smart Classrooms in Ten Schools Under Municipal Initiative

Alappuzha: The Alappuzha Municipality has started its pilot Interactive Smart Classroom project in ten schools to bring technology into public education. This initiative is funded through the municipality’s 2024-25 annual development plan, with a total of Rs. 20 lakh allocated, providing Rs. 2 lakh for each selected school.

Each chosen school now has one Smart Classroom equipped with a projector, amplifier, magnetic whiteboard, interactive panel trolley, executive table, and necessary infrastructure. The aim is to improve classroom engagement and access to multimedia learning tools. The project also includes elements of Artificial Intelligence to support instruction and personalise student learning experiences.

The inauguration took place at the Government Girls’ High School, where H. Salam, MLA, officially launched the project. Municipal Chairperson K.K. Jayamma presided over the ceremony. Several local officials and representatives from schools, including members of the education standing committee, Parent Teachers Association (PTA) officials, and teachers, were present.

The schools involved in the first phase include Government Girls’ High School, Muhammadan’s Boys and Girls High School, Aryad School, Poonthoppil Bhagam School, Thiruvambadi UP School, SDV JB School, Kalarkode LPS, Kalarkode UPS, and Muhammadan’s LPS.

The municipality manages 18 educational institutions, comprising 15 government schools, two Government Teachers’ Training Institutes (TTIs), and one pre-primary TTI. At the event, Education Standing Committee Chairperson R. Vineetha stated that the Smart Classroom project would expand to other institutions if future funding allows.

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Since 2016, even before the COVID-19 induced lock-down the Kerala Infrastructure and Technology for Education (KITE), a state government agency, has led the Hi-Tech School project, which aims to turn all public schools into technology-enabled learning spaces. As part of this project, over 45,000 classrooms for Classes 8 to 12 have been upgraded with interactive digital tools, such as laptops, multimedia projectors, and high-speed internet.

Kerala is also one of the first Indian states to implement FOSS (Free and Open Source Software)-based digital content in classrooms, encouraging cost-effective and customisable learning resources. In 2020, the state received national recognition for its Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) initiatives in education, including the Digital India Award.

The Alappuzha Smart Classroom project is seen as a local extension of this broader digital transformation, customised to the needs and resources of the municipality. Education experts have emphasised the need to provide adequate teacher training and curriculum integration alongside infrastructure upgrades to ensure smart technologies are used effectively in teaching.