Kolkata, Dec 4 (IANS): West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee announced on Thursday that the state government will give free tabs to 9.5 lakh students in government schools and madrasas to facilitate online education in the time of the Covid-19 pandemic.

"Students are suffering because of the Covid-19 pandemic. So the state government has decided to provide tabs to 9.5 lakh students studying in Class XII in government schools, government-aided schools and madrasas," Banerjee said.

The CM said that computers would also be provided to the secondary schools to facilitate online education as many students are not being able to attend online classes because they don't have smartphones or compatible gadgets.

"The tabs will help them participate in online classes and pursue their dreams," she said.

There are about 36,000 government and government-aided schools, 14,000 higher secondary schools and 636 madrasas in West Bengal.