Previous AP govt didn’t supply textbooks to students for five years: Lokesh

Amaravati: Alleging that the previous government did not even supply textbooks to students in the past five years, Andhra Pradesh Education Minister Nara Lokesh said here on Friday, November 15, that several reforms were being introduced in Intermediate education after the TDP-led NDA government came to power in the state. He also said that textbooks were supplied to students for the first time after he became the Minister for Education.

Replying to a question raised by TDP MLA Ganta Srinivasa Rao in the Assembly on the drastic reduction in student strength in government junior colleges, Lokesh said this was happening because there was not enough staff – especially teachers – in the junior colleges. However, after the new alliance government was formed in the state, admissions have gone up by over 15,000 in the junior colleges, Lokesh said, calling it a “welcome step.”

“After dividing the students into A, B, and C categories, bridge courses are also being conducted to help those who are weak in certain subjects,” Lokesh said. He added that efforts are also on to see to it that the state’s government colleges compete with the Narayana Group of Educational Institutions — one of Asia's largest educational conglomerates running various schools, junior colleges, and professional colleges. The Group was founded by educationist turned politician Pongura Narayana, who is also a TDP leader and currently the Minister for Municipal administration, Urban development, and Urban Housing in Andhra Pradesh,

“We have sought some inputs from Minister Narayana, who is the head of these Institutions. He made certain suggestions when he attended a workshop as the chief guest on Thursday,” Lokesh said.

The Education Minister maintained that the government’s focus is now on the infrastructure, faculty, and material at schools. He said the government will hold meetings with senior officers of the Secondary and Intermediate Education Boards, besides promising to develop the necessary infrastructure by introducing ranking mechanisms in government schools.

A decision has been taken to review the results periodically and also inform the parents of the students, for which mega Parent-Teacher Meetings (PTMs) will be conducted across the State in the first week of December, Lokesh added. “I appeal to all the MLAs to take part in these meetings and visit the government schools under their respective jurisdiction and give the feedback,” he said.

The Minister said that the government would soon arrive at an alternative for the government degree college at Tagarapuvalasa, which is being run on the KGBV school campus at present. “The construction of the school building at Simhachalam will also be completed in another six months,” he said.

Expressing concern that the admission rate in government degree colleges is limited only to 50 per cent, Lokesh said the primary reason for this was that degree colleges are run in dilapidated buildings with no proper faculty. “We are thus formulating plans to improve degree colleges in an industry-centric manner,” he added.