Telangana CM for introducing facial recognition in schools, colleges

Hyderabad, Aug 29 (IANS) Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy on Friday directed the Education Department to introduce facial recognition for students, teaching staff and other professionals in all schools and colleges.

Facial recognition will improve attendance and remove shortcomings in professional educational institutions, the Chief Minister said.

At a high-level review of the Education Department at the Integrated Command and Control Centre (ICCC) here, he called for improving the quality of education in government schools, colleges and universities.

He directed the officials to provide better teaching facilities by improving infrastructure in every educational institution, from schools to universities.

The Chief Minister observed that additional classrooms, kitchens, toilets, and compound walls under the Education Department should not be constructed by different agencies.

Stating that this is not good for developing the education sector, he said that for better quality control, supervision, funding, and accountability, all such works should be entrusted to a single department.

CM Revanth Reddy ordered the officials to take up the construction of all educational institutions under the Education and Welfare Infrastructure Development Corporation (EWIDC), which is already supervising the construction of Young India Integrated Residential Schools. Required engineers and other staff will be taken on deputation from other departments for the corporation, he said.

Reviewing the status of the payment of the bills, the CM instructed the officials to clear the pending Mid-Day meals bills through the green channel and warned that there should be no delay. The pending bills related to sanitation work in schools under Amma Adarsha Schools should also be cleared immediately, he told officials.

The officials were also ordered to expedite the construction of urinals and toilets in women's colleges and girls' schools and establish container kitchens equipped with solar panels for cooking.

Reiterating that the state government accorded top priority to sports, CM Revanth Reddy said that the Physical Education Teachers (PETs) should be recruited on a contract basis if necessary. The appointment of female counsellors to counsel girls in welfare Gurukul schools on various issues was discussed in the meeting.

He felt that the expenditure incurred on the education sector should be considered as an investment rather than a spending.

Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka has already appealed to Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman to ensure that loans taken for the development of the education sector, including Young India Integrated Residential Schools, should be excluded from the FRBM limits, the CM said.

Since more than 90 per cent of students studying in government educational institutions are from BC, SC, ST and minority communities, the CM ordered the officials to prepare a report on the details of those who studied in the government educational institutions for the last 10 years.

Chief Minister's Advisor Vem Narender Reddy, Chief Minister's Special Secretary B. Ajith Reddy, Chief Minister's OSD Vemulu Srinivasulu, Principal Secretary, Education, Yogita Rana, Higher Education Board Chairman Professor Balakishta Reddy, Technical Education Department Commissioner Sridevasena, School Education Department Director Naveen Nicholas and others participated in the meeting.

--IANS

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