Two digital "smart schools" launched in Germany

First two "smart schools" have been launched in southwestern German state of Saarland, where the annual national IT Summit is underway, local media reported Wednesday.

The concept of "smart schools" involves different teaching plans with digital learning material and retraining of teachers, more than just being "an initiative to equip schools with computers, laptops or tablets," said Achim Berg, vice president of German Digital Association.

The launch of "smart schools" is a model for how the "digital pact" proposed by the German federal government has become true, said Achim Berg.

In light of the pact put forward by German Ministry of Education and Research, the ministry will invest about five billion euros (5.35 billion U.S. dollars) into around 40,000 schools in Germany for digital equipment within the next five years. Meanwhile, federal states will be responsible for related new teaching plans and teachers' retraining.

This year's IT Summit focuses on digital education under the theme of "Learning and Acting in the Digital World". The summit will last till Nov. 17.

(APD)