Jagan vows to continue reforms for quality education in state schools

HYDERABAD: Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy has vowed to continue with his education reforms in a way that teachers, too, would prefer their children to study in government schools. “We will ensure the education in these schools are better than that of private schools,” he said.

Addressing an event to mark Teachers Day on Monday, the CM extended his greetings to all teachers and recalled the words of Alexander the Great that he was indebted to his father for giving life and to his teacher for helping him lead a better life.

The CM said, “We have been initiating a series of reforms in the education sector in the last three years and I have reviewed the functioning of the department of education more than any other department as it is only education that can change the future of our children and their families.”

He said, “Our government has brought in reforms especially for the benefit of some social groups like SCs, STs, BCs and minorities so that they will have access to education of global standards.”

“The decisions the government has taken are not aimed at causing any hardship to the teachers. Our commitment is to place the future of students in the hands of teachers as they are the best to mould them for a bright future in terms of academics and employment,” Jagan said.

The CM said, “Our aim is to restore past glory to the government schools. We have introduced nutritious diets for students and are making efforts to enhance the percentage of attendance, as well as literacy and quality education.”

As a large number of girls are avoiding schools for want of proper toilet facilities, the government is providing such facilities to help increase the gross enrollment ratio.

Maintaining that a whopping Rs 53,000 crore has been spent on education alone in the last three years, the CM listed out a series of schemes like the Amma Vodi, Sampoorna Poshana, Goru Mudha, Vidya Kanuka, Mana Badi Nadu-Nadu, the introduction of English as a medium of instruction, CBSE syllabus and the subject teachers concept, the distribution of tabs to students of Class VIII, organising digital classrooms, supplying bilingual textbooks, upgradation of skills of teachers.

He alleged that the Telugu Desam government had neglected the government schools, government hospitals and even the APSRTC to promote the private sector. But, the present government was committed to developing the public sector.

Jagan said his government had enhanced the age of superannuation to 62 years and was giving promotions to teachers.