Facilitating rare opportunity to learn beyond classrooms

Visakhapatnam: With an intention to make significant tourist spots accessible to all sections, especially to the youth, district administration introduced Educational Tourism Itinerary.

The programme aims at not just encouraging students to understand the importance of the tourist spots better but also improving their awareness level about the historical places, their distinct features and benefits for the tourism sector.

Rolling out the initiative, District Collector MN Harendhira Prasad mentioned that students would largely be benefited with the programme as the Educational Tourism Itinerary programme offers entertainment plus knowledge.

As part of the programme, students can learn about the significance of historical places, carry out research and exchange ideas.

The district administration provides free entry to tourist spots to students studying in government schools.

Meanwhile, those studying in private and corporate schools, the entry fee per student would be charged at a nominal price of Rs 10.

As part of the marine tourism programme, students can visit Sea Harrier Museum, TU 142 Aircraft Museum, INS Kursura Submarine Museum and Visakha Museum at Beach Road. During their visits, guides will explain the importance of the museums to the students in detail.

In line with biodiversity tourism, the gates of Indira Gandhi Zoological Park, Kambalakonda Eco Tourism Park, Kapuluppada Biodiversity Park will remain open to the students apart from facilitating an opportunity to trek. Also, a coastal ecosystem tour will be facilitated to students where they get a chance to visit the biology laboratory at Andhra University, Mangrove Research Centre and Fishery Survey of India Museum. The platform gives a new exposure to youth and helps them improve their domain knowledge in marine conservation.

After flagging off the educational institution buses as part of the programme, District Collector MN Harindhira Prasad, said, “Along with visits to various places, a marine live walk will also be facilitated to students. It will be a new experience for them to learn and adopt best practices.”

The packed itinerary tailored for the youth did excite an army of students as they look forward to learning beyond classrooms.