Samsung India Electronics expands its Smart Class initiative

Chandigarh, 26th November 2015: Samsung India Electronics today announced the launch of Samsung Smart Class at nine Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya (JNV) schools across the state of Punjab, bringing the total number of schools in the state with Samsung Smart Class to 17.

The Samsung Smart Class at Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya in Awan, Ramdas, Amritsar district, was inaugurated by Mr. P.K. Sharma, Assistant Commissioner, Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti along with Mr. Rajiv Mishra, Vice President, Samsung India Electronics. Through the remainder of 2015, Samsung Smart Class will also be opened at JNV schools in Dhilwan (Barnala district), Talwandi Sabo (Bhatinda), Khamanon (Fatehgarh Sahib), Talwandi Madho (Jallandhar), Tibba (Kapurthala), Bringkhera (Muktsar), Jhingran Kalan (Mohali) and Longowal (Sangrur).

Samsung Smart Class, the company’s flagship CSR initiative in India, aims to bridge the digital gap between rural and urban India and provide equal opportunities for quality education to children from all backgrounds. Every Smart Class is equipped with Samsung products such as Samsung interactive whiteboard, laptops, a printer and a Wi-Fi connection to enable students to access digital content and be part of an interactive learning environment. Students are taught Mathematics, Science, English and Social Science in an engaging and visually appealing manner, helping them learn better and retain more information. The Samsung Smart Class are set up at Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya (JNV) schools, a system of alternate schools under the Ministry of Human Resource Development, Government of India targeting talented children in rural India.

Mr. Rajiv Mishra, Vice President, Samsung India Electronics, said, “Digital India envisions a future where everything from scholarship applications to hospital appointments and governance discussions will be online. Over the last two years, the Samsung Smart Class initiative has helped over one lakh children across India to become digitally literate, enabling them to be contributors to the future of Digital India. I am delighted that nine JNV schools from Punjab are joining the Samsung Smart Class family and look forward to strengthening Samsung’s work in bridging the digital divide.”

Samsung Smart Class is already present in eight JNV schools in Punjab, including Chandigarh, Ludhiana, Pathankot and Patiala.

Speaking at the launch of Samsung Smart Class in Amritsar, Mr. P.K. Sharma, Assistant Commissioner, Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti, said, “The world is going digital and we need to start early to equip our children with skills to tap into the opportunities that the digital future will offer. We at the Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya envisage a world where talented children – irrespective of socio-economic background – get equal avenues of quality education. We are elated that our association with Samsung has been successfully aiding us in this mission. The feedback from principals, teachers and students for the Samsung Smart Class is extremely encouraging and we are actively expanding our reach across the country.”

Since its inauguration in 2013, Smart Classes have been set up in over 260 schools across the length and breadth of India, benefitting over 1.5 lakh students. By end 2015, Samsung aims to enable students in 373 JNV schools to experience digitally interactive “smart” learning. Teachers with Samsung Smart Class in their school have reported better attention levels, higher enthusiasm and interest in participating in classroom discussions, as lessons can be taught in a personalised and digitally interactive learning environment.

Samsung CSR initiatives seek to leverage the company’s expertise in developing technological solutions that shape the future. In addition to the Samsung Smart Class initiative, the company has also established Samsung Technical Schools to address the need for talented manpower with practical know-how and relevant industry experience. Samsung Technical Schools are set up in collaboration with the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) and Departments of Technical Education in states such as Bihar, Delhi, Kerala, Rajasthan and West Bengal.