In the month of December 2023, The Tamil Nadu Textbook and Educational Services Corporation led by ‘Dindigul’ Leoni had issued an open tender inviting bids for commissioning and maintaining smart classrooms in government schools across the state. Under this scheme, 22,931 schools have been selected where interactive smart panels are to be installed for the smart classroom setup.
What Are Smart Panels And What Are The Advantages?
Smart panels are interactive presentation screens that integrate the capabilities of a conventional whiteboard, computer, and projector. Featuring a touch-sensitive interface, these panels enable educators and learners to write, sketch, and engage with digital material instantly. Additionally, they provide enhanced functionalities such as video conferencing, screen sharing, and collaborative tools, enhancing the interactive and captivating aspects of the learning experience.
Smart panels enhance student engagement through interactive quizzes, polls, and games, making learning enjoyable. They facilitate improved collaboration via features like screen sharing and video conferencing, fostering teamwork and communication skills. The panels offer access to diverse digital content, promoting immersive learning experiences with videos, simulations, and interactive presentations. Designed for accessibility, they include features like text-to-speech and voice recognition, accommodating students with disabilities. Cost-effective eventually, smart panels reduce paper usage and energy costs. Implementing smart panels in schools requires planning, assessing needs, selecting appropriate technology, and providing effective training for teachers and staff. The cost of the panels starts anywhere from ₹85,000 and gradually increases depending on the specifications and needs.
Most of the smart panels come with Android as the operating system by default, which is sufficient for most tasks in school education. With the help of an Open Pluggable Specification (OPS) the smart panels can have additional functions like using Windows operating system, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi etc. The OPS alone can cost anywhere from ₹35000 onwards and can increase according to the specifications and needs. This adds an unnecessary financial burden and maintenance costs for these machines.
What Does The Tender Say?
The tender calls for OEMs who have reported an average annual turnover of minimum ₹2000 crores in the last three consecutive financial years. This clause alone can effectively eliminate small and medium OEMs from India. For example, Microline Pvt. India Ltd, which manufactures smart panels under the brand name ‘Sense’, has an annual turnover of ₹50 lakhs to 1 Crore despite having more than 8000 installations in 800 schools across 35 cities. There are other clauses such as the tenderer should have service centres in 38 districts of Tamil Nadu, project go-live completion within 180 days from the issue of purchase order, and tenderer should have positive net worth in the last five consecutive financial years.
The tender also calls for an internal or external OPS module in addition to the default features and Microsoft licences for the software to be used, increasing costs for the equipment.
Status Of Education In The State
Image source: CB 2023_2024_English.pdf (tn.gov.in)
The education department received one of the highest budget allocations in the recent budget, amounting to ₹ 47,266 Crores. However, when it comes to the infrastructure of the schools, the state of maintenance is poor, and it has been repeatedly reported that schools have been damaged due to external factors such as tree falls, or collapse due to weak structure. Despite, the Tamil Nadu government taking measures such as gathering reports on unsafe school buildings and demolishing school buildings, the Tamil Nadu government has told the Madras High Court that there are nearly 3000 damaged school buildings yet to be destroyed. This creates a fearful environment for the students and can impact the academic performance as well. While the digitization and smart classrooms moves are a welcome move to better school facilities, the government should also focus on improving the infrastructure of the school campuses, especially with innovative schemes such as ‘Namma’ school foundation scheme.
(With inputs from Maridhas)
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