Delhi govt launches first 'NIPUN Shala', flags off NaMo Sugamya Rath

New Delhi, Sep 18 (PTI) Delhi Education Minister Ashish Sood on Thursday inaugurated the city's first "NIPUN Shala" at the Sarvodaya Kanya Vidyalaya in Janakpuri, under the government's NIPUN Sankalp Yojana aimed at improving foundational literacy and numeracy skills among schoolchildren.

The launch coincided with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's birthday, observed as "Seva Pakhwada". The initiative, set up with the support of the Rotary Club, will focus on students of Classes 1 to 8 to strengthen their reading, writing and mathematical abilities, according to a statement.

Resident welfare association representatives from several Janakpuri blocks also attended the event, the statement said.

Speaking at the launch, Sood said within three years, every government school in Delhi will be certified as a NIPUN school. He stressed that genuine improvement in education comes not from buildings but from better learning outcomes.

"The goal is to ensure that every child learns well and progresses with technology. In the coming years, children from Delhi will also emerge as AI ambassadors at national and international forums," he said.

The minister asserted that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in Delhi is committed to turning all schools into smart schools within five years. Around 21,000 classrooms have already been fitted with smart boards and the remaining 17,000 will soon be upgraded, he said.

There are also plans to provide students with Chromebooks and technology-enabled learning facilities, Sood said.

On the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in education, he said it would be introduced in an ethical manner to ease teachers' workload through tools for attendance monitoring, paper-setting and assessment automation.

Alongside the education initiative, Sood also flagged off the NaMo Sugamya Rath and Sugamya Delhi Yatra for the west zone, focussing on accessibility for differently-abled people and senior citizens.

He announced that "purple ambassadors" will be appointed in every block and park to ensure barrier-free access for the elderly and differently-abled.

The campaign, the minister said, is not just a government effort but a movement that requires active participation from RWAs to make Delhi inclusive and accessible for all. PTI SHB RC