Students of Barabhumi High School in Tambdi Surla received upgraded learning infrastructure on Tuesday after PACT Foundation inaugurated its Happy School Project at the institution, bringing two smart classrooms and classroom upgrades to the remote Dharbandora region.
The initiative has introduced two upgraded classrooms equipped with AI-ready smart boards, refurbished benches and improvements to the classroom environment.
Located near the foothills of the Western Ghats close to the Shri Mahadeva Temple at Tambdi Surla, Barabhumi High School caters to students from remote villages in Dharbandora taluka. Many of the students studying at the school are first-generation learners.
School representatives said educational infrastructure plays a significant role in helping rural students continue into higher education.
Addressing the gathering, Barabhumi Education Society President Gangaram Gaonkar acknowledged the support extended to the school.
“For a school like ours, sitting at the very edge of Goa, this kind of support means a lot. Our Society has worked hard on giving our children a proper environment, but our teachers cannot do it alone. Today, with these Smart Classrooms, our children have the same window to the world as any city school,” he said.
“I ask our students to use these facilities fully, to keep up with this changing world, and to do well in life,” he added.
PACT Foundation Founder and President Dr Ashwin Fernandes, who attended as chief guest, said the initiative aimed to ensure children studying in rural Goa receive access to opportunities enabled by technology.
Speaking to students, Fernandes referred to changing educational possibilities available to rural communities.
“Many of you are the first in your families to study at this level, and that is not a disadvantage, but it is your strength. The internet has changed what is possible for a child born in Tambdi Surla today. The world is closer to you than it ever was to my generation,” he said.
“These AI-ready smart boards are not just screens on a wall. They are a doorway to the jobs of the future. But technology must be used responsibly. Use it to explore what interests you – science, sport, music, agriculture, arts, and then come back and lift this village with you,” Fernandes added.
The project forms part of broader educational initiatives undertaken by PACT Foundation in Goa, including scholarship support and youth development activities.
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