Learning labs built in 48 govt-run schools but no instructors yet in Prayagraj
48 schools in Prayagraj set up 'Learning by Doing' labs for skill development, but lack technical instructors despite funds allocated and orders issued.
Special ‘Learning by Doing’ laboratories have been set up in 48 government-run upper primary (Classes 6 to 8) and composite (Classes 1 to 8) schools of Prayagraj district at a cost of ₹20.76 lakh. The aim of these schools is skill development of students of Classes 6 to 8, but technical instructors have not been appointed yet to teach the students.
Director-general (school education), UP, Kanchan Verma, had ordered the selection and appointment of technical instructors for these schools on September 9, 2024, but the selection has not been done even six months after the order, district officials of the state basic education department said.
The state government had also released a sum of ₹43,250, including ₹14,480 and ₹28,770, respectively in two phases to buy laboratory equipment in these schools in January 2025, which was consequently purchased, said officials.
The committee constituted under the chairmanship of the district magistrate has to select technical instructors through the government e marketplace (GeM) portal, but the process has not been completed even in six months since the orders. If experts are to be believed, this scenario exists not just in Prayagraj, as except a handful of districts in the state, instructors have not been selected in most districts.
A total of 1,772 schools in the state have been selected under this initiative.
Conceding the delay, Basic Shiksha Adhikari (BSA)-Prayagraj Praveen Kumar Tiwari, said that the selection process to appoint technical instructors is underway and that the process will be completed soon.
Learning by Doing
Learning by Doing (LBD) initiative links the school education curriculum with day-to-day activities to make education meaningful.
Under this initiative, school students of Classes 6 to 8 of these schools will be made to do many types of experiments and activities to hone their learning through practical means. With the help of special kits, experiments and activities like testing of soil and water, making solar car and cooker along with LED torch, telescope, making a toy from plastic bottle, making useful models from PVC pipes, mobile projector etc will be taught, officials said.
2,402 instructors needed in UP
In all, 2,402 technical instructors are to be selected in 886 development blocks across the state. These include instructors of engineering and workshop trade, energy and environment trade, agriculture, nursery and gardening, and home and health trade. Instructors will get an honorarium of ₹10,450 per month.
