Schools to reopen on August 16 in AP, teachers to get vax

VIJAYAWADA: Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy on Wednesday said schools in the state will reopen from August 16 in view of declining Covid-19 cases. He also instructed officials to vaccinate teachers by August 15.

During a review meeting on Nadu-Nedu works in the CM Camp office at Tadepalli on Wednesday, the Chief Minister said workbook activities will be conducted for students from July 15 to August 15. “Teachers will correct those workbooks and give appropriate instructions for the children in those books.”

He directed the officials to prepare the implementation of the Vidya Kanuka scheme in August and check if all items such as textbooks, bags, uniforms, notebooks, shoes and belts being provided under the Vidya Kanuka Scheme are ready for distribution.

He also inspected the Oxford English-to-English-to-Telugu dictionary, which will be provided to the students under the Vidya Kanuka Scheme.

He asserted that Nadu-Nedu works, including the release of funds, should be completed as per the schedule.

The officials informed the Chief Minister that they have mapped Anganwadi centres according to the proposals of New Education Policy.  They said it is estimated that at least 21,654 new classrooms need to be constructed, which is in addition to Phase-1 and Phase-2 of Nadu Nedu works.

The Chief Minister said teachers should be available as per student-teacher ratio and that no school should be closed and no teacher should be laid off.

The officials said they planned to start the second phase of Nadu-Nedu works in August and complete them by March 2022 and added that the first phase of Nadu Nedu works will be completed by August. The Chief Minister will dedicate to the nation the schools revamped under the first phase of the Nadu-Nedu project.

The officials also informed the Chief Minister that Central government officials have lauded the education programmes, which are being carried out in Andhra Pradesh.