Summary:
The project is worth Rs 2,500 crore. Coimbatore: The state has for the first time achieved 99% enrolment of kids to schools, said education minister K A Sengottayan and attributed this to the schemes such as free education and noon-meal introduced by former chief ministers J Jayalalithaa and MGR. Until a few years ago, the enrolment rate of students to schools in the state was just 93%.Speaking to reporters after inaugurating road and drainage projects worth Rs 6 crore at 24 locations at Lakkampatti in Erode district, the minister said 2,500 schools would be equipped with hi-tech laboratories that are on par with those in the USA and Malaysia within next six months to help students get maximum exposure to science. “It will be extended to 35,000 schools in 10 years,” he said.Referring to apprehensions regarding proposals to conduct public exams for Classes V and VIII, he said a decision would be taken in the state assembly after taking into account the opinions of parents, teachers and educationists.Speaking about job prospects after the schooling, he said chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami had attracted foreign direct investments worth Rs 3,431 crore that would create 10.5 lakh jobs for youngsters..