Andhra, BYJU'S make deal to provide tech-based learning at government schools

The Jaganmohan Reddy-led Andhra Pradesh government signed an agreement with edtech company BYJU'S to impart technology- and gadget-based learning to students at state-run schools.

The chief minister announced that digital learning will be made available for all students of standards 4 – 10.

“While BYJU'S content is available for private school students for subscriptions of Rs 20,000-24,000 per year, our government is making it accessible for free to government-school students,” Reddy said on Thursday after the signing—for which he was present—of an MoU between by the state education department and the edtech company representatives.

Reddy also said that tablets would be provided to Class 8 students—who would appear for Class 10 CBSE board examinations in 2025. The YSR Congress Party government had earlier planned to bring all government schools within the ambit of CBSE.

The chief minister said that tablets would be distributed to 4.7 lakh students in September at a total cost of about Rs 500 crore. Every year, students starting Class 8 would be provided with these tabs, which will then be used by them for subsequent classes, too. Reddy emphasised the need to make digital learning methods more accessible to students, and to provide related training to teachers.

“The initiative could help change the lives of poor students by guiding them to learn better. The visual medium will make it easier for children to understand quality content, while aiding them in achieving better results,” Reddy said.

Directing the officials concerned to implement the programme effectively, especially for students in Classes 8, 9 and 10 for good academic results, Reddy said that BYJU’S content should be brought out in a textbook format in both English and Telugu languages.

The CM also instructed that each classroom must have a television installed to make visual content accessible to students.