NEW DELHI, Jun 1 (PTI): Expanding educational facilities to children, the UPA government has opened nearly 20,000 elementary schools across the country after it came to power last May.

According to a report card, released by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today, 19,247 primary and upper primary schools have been opened in 2009-10 till December end.

These facilities include 7,400 primary schools and 11,847 upper primary schools. Over 35,000 teachers have been appointed in this period and 9,708 additional classrooms constructed.

Similarly, 26.62 lakh teachers have been provided in-service training and 9.54 crore children given textbooks, the report said.

Government has launched Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan with the objective of improving access to secondary education. Clearance has been given for setting up of 2,478 new schools and improving 6,998 existing schools under the scheme, it said.

These initiatives assume significance in view of the enactment of the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, which makes education the fundamental right of every child. The Act came to effect from April one this year.

To promote girls' education, government has started a scheme for the establishment and management separate hostels for them in the educationally backward blocks. During 2009-10, approval has been given to set up 379 such hostels in 11 states.

Similarly, in higher education, the government has embarked upon a number of initiatives like setting up of 16 central universities, six IIMs, two IITs and ten NITs.

The IIMs will be set up at Rohtak, Raipur, Ranchi, Tiruchirapalli, Kashipur and Udaipur.