Amaravati, Sep 14 (IANS): The Andhra Pradesh government will install 45,000 smart televisions in government schools, in an effort to narrow the gap between private schools and public schools.

"Every government school in the state will be having its own smart television for digitalised learning," said an official.

To be implemented in phases, the first phase will entail the installation of 10,000 smart TVs, costing up to Rs 50 crore.

In the first week of September, Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy held a review meeting and directed officials that no student should be deprived of digital education.

"It was directed to the officials that no student should be left out to enjoy digital education and all the government schools should be equipped with centralised integrated system smart TVs," he said.

Education Minister Adimulapu Suresh said Reddy has a vision to digitise 45,000 government schools by the next academic year.

He said officials are also working round the clock to meet the Chief Minister's Nadu-Nedu deadline.

Nadu-Nedu is an ambitious school infrastructure upgrading project, aimed at reducing the student dropout rate.

The government desires to improve the learning outcomes and decrease the dropout rate in all schools by taking up various measures including upgrading the school infrastructure through the implementation of Mana Badi (Our School) - Nadu-Nedu programme.

The government aims to make parents think of government schools for good education, rather than sending their children to private schools at an exorbitant cost.