Several Hindi-medium government primary schools across Gurugram and Sohna remain without smart classrooms, despite the Haryana Smart Education Mission, 2023, which aims to equip government schools especially primary ones with smart classes.
In contrast, Sanskriti Model Schools, which are government-run-English-medium schools, are equipped with smart classrooms for primary students. Teachers from Hindi-medium schools allege that Hindi-medium government primary schools have largely been neglected. This disparity has raised concerns among educators, who argue that students in Hindi-medium schools are being left behind in terms of access to digital learning tools.
Ashok Prajapati, district president of the Rajkiya Prathmik Shikshak Sangh, said, “The majority of Hindi-medium government primary schools still do not have smart classrooms. I don’t understand why only Hindi-medium schools have been left out, especially at a time when digital literacy is being promoted across the country.”
“Out of 135 primary schools in Gurugram, around 100 are Sanskriti Model Schools, while the rest are Hindi-medium. We don’t even have computer labs for our students. Classes 1 to 5 form the foundation of a student’s learning, and smart classrooms could greatly strengthen this foundation,” said Dushyant Thakran, a teacher at Sushant Lok Government Primary School.
Meanwhile, Balwinder Singh, deputy teacher at Government Primary School in Khor, Sohna, said that schools in village areas often have little hope of getting smart classrooms. “When smart classes are not being provided in Gurugram schools, we don’t expect them here,” he said.
“The government should focus on schools in backward areas as well. Students here come to learn just like any other. If we provide smart boards or smart classrooms, this will make learning more interesting. Although they are hardworking, some students still skip classes occasionally. Technology like this can also help improve attendance,” he added.
Neetu Punia, a teacher at Sushant Lok Phase 2 Government Primary School who previously taught at a Sanskriti Model School in another city, said smart classrooms make a significant difference in learning. “Hindi-medium schools must not be neglected. We try to teach our students good English so they can eventually get into Sanskriti Model Schools, but the gap and neglect in resources are very visible,” she said.
When HT contacted district education officer (DEO) Saroj Dahiya, she said that the issue has been noted and the department is actively working on it. “We will provide smart classrooms to Hindi-medium schools soon,” she added.
“Most Hindi-medium government schools have smart classes. For the few classes where they are not available, they will be provided soon,” she said.