As the 2025–26 academic year approaches, education in India is undergoing a profound transformation, with both local and national initiatives converging to create safer, more technologically advanced, and inclusive learning environments. From the mountain city of Asheville, North Carolina, to schools across India, a shared commitment to upgrading infrastructure and expanding access to quality education is shaping the future for millions of students.
In Asheville, North Carolina, the city’s public schools have launched a sweeping series of upgrades designed to improve both security and comfort for students and staff. According to WLOS, Lucy Herring Elementary School now features a newly redesigned entrance, equipped with a security vestibule that employs a three-lock system to limit visitor access. The system requires visitors to be buzzed in, and any items brought for students must be dropped off at a secure window, preventing unauthorized entry into the school’s main building. As April Dockery, Asheville City Schools’ Chief of Operations, explained to WLOS, “Parents will get buzzed in and drop off belongings without having to come into the school. Staff can meet them.” This move is part of a broader emphasis on campus safety, reflecting growing concerns nationwide about school security.
But security isn’t the only focus in Asheville. Lucy Herring Elementary also benefitted from a new HVAC system, upgraded windows, and fully renovated bathrooms, all completed over the summer of 2025. These improvements are designed to ensure a safe and comfortable environment for students when classes resume. Claxton Elementary School received a new cooling system to improve classroom conditions, while Asheville High School saw upgrades such as newly striped bus lanes, enhancements to the varsity gym and auditorium, and further HVAC improvements. Dockery highlighted the importance of internal expertise in prioritizing these projects, noting, “We really lean on our crews, our HVAC crews, our construction team within our own staff, they help us prioritise.” She added that the team evaluates the age of current systems and uses facility records to determine which areas require immediate attention.
The work doesn’t stop there. Renovations at Hall Fletcher Elementary School are set to begin in the weeks following the start of the school year, with plans mirroring the comprehensive improvements already completed at Lucy Herring Elementary. The district also has a feasibility study scheduled for 2025 to examine the location of existing schools and explore how classrooms can be enhanced to better serve future needs. These initiatives, made possible through funding from county commissioners and the school board’s capital funding, underscore Asheville’s commitment to ensuring that its students have access to both safe and modern learning spaces.
While Asheville’s efforts are notable on a local scale, a parallel story of transformation is unfolding across India, where the national government is investing heavily in school infrastructure and digital education. On August 18, 2025, the Centre informed Parliament that it had released Rs 34,000 crore in the last financial year (2024–25) to fund Samagra Shiksha, a Centrally Sponsored Scheme aimed at ensuring quality education for all children from pre-school to Class 12. Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan told lawmakers that a major push had been made toward digitizing classrooms. “As per the PRABANDH portal, to date, 1,76,669 ICT labs and 1,75,936 smart classrooms have been sanctioned to state and union territory governments under this element of ‘Samagra Shiksha’,” Pradhan said, as reported by The Tribune.
The Samagra Shiksha program doesn’t stop at digital classrooms. It also includes 200 PM eVidya DTH TV channels and 400 radio channels, enabling all states and union territories to provide supplementary education in various Indian languages for classes 1 to 12. This approach aims to bridge the digital divide and reach students in even the most remote areas. Furthermore, 13,076 PM SHRI (Pradhan Mantri Schools for Rising India) schools have been selected across 33 states, with a significant majority—9,373—located in rural areas, reflecting the government’s focus on equitable access to quality education.
Infrastructure improvements have been substantial. Citing the UDISE+ report, Pradhan highlighted that between 2019–20 and 2023–24, electricity availability in schools rose from 83.4% to 91.8%, library facilities expanded from 76.4% to 89%, access to computers improved from 38.5% to 57.2%, and internet connectivity increased from 22.3% to 53.9%. These numbers represent a significant leap forward in the learning environment for millions of Indian students, many of whom previously lacked access to basic educational resources.
India’s higher education sector is also seeing notable progress. Pradhan noted that 12 institutions have been designated as Institutions of Eminence (IoE), including eight public institutions—such as IIT Bombay, IIT Delhi, IIT Madras, IIT Kharagpur, IISc Bangalore, BHU Varanasi, University of Hyderabad, and University of Delhi—and four private institutions: BITS Pilani, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, OP Jindal Global University, and Shiv Nadar University, Greater Noida. However, funding under the Samagra Shiksha scheme is provided only to public institutions. The Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) in higher education has improved from 23.7% in 2014–15 to 28.4% in 2021–22, with female GER reaching 28.5%, marking steady progress toward gender parity and broadening access to advanced studies.
What’s striking is how both Asheville and India, despite their differences in scale and context, are grappling with similar challenges—modernizing aging facilities, enhancing security, and harnessing technology to improve learning. Both are investing heavily in infrastructure, whether through new HVAC systems and secure entrances in Asheville or through smart classrooms and expanded internet connectivity in India. The use of internal expertise to prioritize facility needs in Asheville echoes India’s data-driven approach, as seen in the reliance on the PRABANDH portal and UDISE+ reports to guide decision-making.
The stories from Asheville and India also highlight the importance of inclusive planning. Asheville’s upcoming feasibility study aims to ensure that school locations and classroom designs meet the evolving needs of its community. In India, the focus on rural PM SHRI schools demonstrates a commitment to bringing high-quality education to underserved regions. Both efforts reflect a recognition that educational equity requires more than just new buildings or technology—it demands thoughtful, responsive leadership that listens to local voices and adapts to changing circumstances.
As the new school year approaches, students in Asheville will walk into safer, more comfortable classrooms, while millions of children across India will benefit from better infrastructure and expanded digital resources. These parallel journeys serve as a reminder that, whether in a small American city or a vast, diverse nation, investing in education is ultimately an investment in the future.
