J-K among states to start smart classes in govt schools:Akhtar

Jammu and Kashmir is among the first states in the country to start smart classes in government-run schools to enrich the quality of education through technology-driven methods, Education Minister Naeem Akhtar said here today.
"The audio-visual, interactive teaching through multi-media computer aided Smart Classes, makes teaching more effective and such technology-driven methods make learning interesting for the students.
"Jammu and Kashmir is among the first states in the country to begin the smart classes in the government schools and the ambitious initiative has been set-off with the training of teachers," Akhtar said.
The Minister was speaking at the concluding session of the five-day interactive training for government school teachers in Smart Class technology.

The capacity building programme in the said technology was organised by National Institute of Electronic and Information Technology (NIELIT) in collaboration with the Department of Education.
The programme was concurrently run at both NIELIT centres in Srinagar as well as in Jammu. Around 20 teachers in Jammu and 25 teachers in Srinagar from four Model Schools in each division participated in the training programme.

The minister said the objective of establishing Smart Classrooms is to provide education through audio visual methods in composed environment to sustain the interest of students. "The smart classroom is a proven mechanism which helps in quality enrichment through technological intervention."

Akhtar said such technology makes teaching more effective and simple while as learning easier to comprehend.
"Government is keen to multiply the number of smart classrooms in the schools and colleges in coming times. Such training programmes will help build an e-environment as the teachers being trained will be acting as master trainers, thus helping in producing larger number of e-learned teaching professionals in the State," he said.
The Minister, appreciating the role of NIELIT in the field of ICT, said it has been in forefront in creating an e-learning environment in the State. The Education Department is working along with NIELIT as a knowledge partner in the said field.