The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : It's worth replicating, says Montek Singh

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Mar 24, 2005

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

It's worth replicating, says Montek Singh

By Our Staff Reporter

HYDERABAD, MARCH 23. The public-private partnership programme in schools is a fit case to be replicated in other States, said Montek Singh Ahluwalia, Deputy Chairman, Planning Commission here on Wednesday.

On a visit to the city, he was taken around the Government Boys Primary School Dareeche Bawaheer in Kishan Bagh, where he saw the improvements that had taken place in a year of the implementation of the novel partnership programme called "Ensuring Children Learn" of the Naandi Foundation.

He entered a classroom where a science lesson on the solar system was being taught in Urdu by the teacher, Samiuddin, with the use of 3D models of the planets/satellites.

The children responded enthusiastically to Mr. Ahluwalia's queries. He also visited the computer lab where students were working on paintbrush software and learning through interactive compact discs.

He gave away health cards with unique Child ID numbers to help track each child's health profile making treatment easy. He visited the out-patient clinic in the school, which treated diseases from a common cold to cancer free of cost for all the children going to the 304 such schools under the programme. When told that it only cost Rs. 10 per child per month, he observed that Rs. 120 per child per year was not a big sum to be spent for assured healthcare to India's 11 crore school children.

Mr. Ahluwalia appreciated the efforts being made by the State Government in executing irrigation projects to utilise Godavari waters and assured cooperation from his side to the extent possible.

Meets YSR

He was here this afternoon on way to Nagarjuna University near Vijayawada for attending its convocation function tomorrow along with the Governor, Sushil Kumar Shinde. He met the Chief Minister, Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy, over a luncheon hosted by the latter at Lake View Guest House in his honour. The Finance Minister, K. Rosaiah, was also present.

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