Chennai: The Tamil Nadu Government will open atleast one high school in every five kilometers radius.

A part of the state government's Rs.5000 crore project, the decision is primarily meant to upgrade the quality of education and enhance access to education to all children especially at the secondary level.

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Unlike the existing practice of using blackboards and crowded classrooms, officials are planning to employ virtual classrooms with Mathematics, Science, English and audio-visual labs.

Tamil Nadu is also the only state in the country to submit a comprehensive proposal for the central project named 'SUCCESS' (Scheme for Universal Access and Quality Education at the Secondary Stage). The report is proposed to be implemented under the 11th five year plan.

"The state government has already made an initial allocation of Rs.200 crores in the budget as its share. The funding would be in the ratio of 65:35 with the centre contributing the larger share", informed state school education minister Mr. Thangam Thennarasu.

At present, the state of Tamil Nadu has approximately 3,000 high schools, with one being located in every 7 km radius. In places like Dharmapuri and Krishnagiri, the figure stands at one high school in a 10 km radius.

"Tamil Nadu, after successfully implementing the Sarva Siksha Abhigyan (SSA), now aims at achieving universal secondary education as there is an urgent need for improvement", the minister further added

Further, as part of the ambitious project, training and guidance would also be given to faculties and headmasters on effective ways of managing schools.

The modules have already been prepared with inputs from UNICEF.

The minister added that a unique concept called 'appreciative inquiry' would be initiated to strengthen the relationship between headmasters and students.