Greater Chennai Corporation will launch smart classrooms in 28 schools shortly. Mayor R.Priya on Tuesday inspected the work on development of smart classrooms under CITIIS (City Investments To Innovate Integrate and Sustain) in areas such as Royapuram, Thiruvanmiyur and Adyar. Work on development of smart classrooms is under way in Chennai Primary School on Cemetery Road in Royapuram zone in ward 51 at an estimated cost of ₹4.53 crore. Ms.Priya interacted with the students in some of the smart classrooms that have already been developed. More smart classrooms will be developed shortly. The work is funded by the French development agency, AFD. The project is estimated to cost ₹95.25 crore and ₹76.2 crore funding is provided by the French development agency and Chennai Smart City Limited is funding ₹19.05 crore. The project included development of hard and soft infrastructure for smart classrooms. The Mayor inspected the modern toilets developed in schools under the CITIIS project in Chennai Middle School in ward 179 in Gandhi Gramam, Lakshmipuram in Adyar zone. Ms.Priya also inspected the smart classrooms in Chennai Higher Secondary School in Bharathidasan Salai in Thiruvanmiyur in ward 180.
The enrolment in Chennai Corporation schools has seen an uptick this year. The enrolment has crossed one lakh after a decade. The enrolment has increased in Chennai Schools from 85,000 to 1.3 lakh after the pandemic because many parents were unable to pay fees in private schools. Students will get free education in the smart classrooms in the 281 Chennai Schools with 2,731 teachers.