Telangana govt schools attarct 3 lakh more students: Education minister

Hyderabad: The enrolment in government schools in the state has significantly increased by 3 lakh this year due to steps taken by the state government to strengthen government schools across the state, education minister Sabitha Indra Reddy said on Friday.

Replying to queries raised by MLAs during Question Hour on Friday, the minister stated that English medium instruction will be introduced from first to eighth standards in government schools from the 2022-23 academic year and textbooks for students would be supplied free.

"The government has decided to give a facelift to 26,065 schools under 'Mana Ooru-Mana Badi' in rural areas and 'Mana Basthi-Mana Badi' in urban areas in three phases at a cost of Rs 7,289 crore. Under the first phase in 2022-23 academic year, the programme will be implemented in schools that have high student strength and 9,123 schools with high student strength had been identified across the state," Sabitha said.

The government will spend Rs 3,497.62 crore under first phase for improving infrastructure and ensuring comprehensive development of schools,

Under this initiative, the education department will conduct special training programme for teachers from March 14, she said.

Sabitha said English medium instruction will be introduced as part of the Mana Ooru-Mana Badi programme that was launched by CM in Wanaparthy on
March 8.

The infrastructure development in schools includes 12 different components like toilets, drinking water supply, green chalkboards, among other facilities, in schools. To monitor the works being taken up in the schools, special software was introduced and officials would be uploading all the details of the works, she added.