Human Resource Development Minister Nara Lokesh on Wednesday said that the Andhra Pradesh government was committed to developing an ‘Andhra Model of Education’ that would serve as a role model for the country. 

Addressing a review meeting with District Education Officers (DEOs) and Additional Project Coordinators (APCs) at the Secretariat in Amaravati, Mr. Lokesh said the government was introducing major reforms to strengthen public education and improve learning outcomes.

Mr. Lokesh said teachers are being sent abroad to study the best teaching practices, which would later be implemented in government schools across the State. Stressing the need for quality education, he said that government schools must be able to compete with private institutions and that all decisions should focus on students’ futures.

Expressing concern over nearly one lakh school dropouts in the State, Mr. Lokesh directed the officials to work towards achieving 100% enrolment. He asked them to identify and bring back the children who were never enrolled on the education system.

He urged the officials to improve enrolment in government schools by at least 10% and appreciated teachers for the improved SSC results this year. He noted that the government’s advertisements congratulating successful students had boosted confidence among children studying in government schools.

Recalling his experiences during the Yuva Galam padayatra, Mr. Lokesh said no child should be forced into labour or agricultural work due to migration or poverty.

Calling for a strong implementation of the Guaranteed Foundational Literacy and Numeracy (GFLN) programme, he said even a small percentage of learning gaps affects lakhs of students.

The government is implementing the ‘One Class-One Teacher’ system and introducing clicker technology and Chromebooks for Class IX students to improve classroom learning, he said.

Star-rating system for schools

Highlighting the importance of infrastructure, he said the government has introduced a star-rating system for government school facilities. Every school should have leak-proof buildings, drinking water, toilets, benches, and proper classroom maintenance. He announced that smart kitchens, already introduced successfully in Kadapa, would be expanded across the State within two years.

Citing the example of the Nidamarru school in Mangalagiri constituency, which was being developed as an international school and had witnessed such high demand that a “No Admission” board had to be displayed, he urged officials to develop at least one model school in every district.

Mr. Lokesh directed the teachers to focus on teaching, while administrators should handle administrative responsibilities. He said the LEAP app and dashboard system would improve monitoring and ensure transparency in the education system.

Mr. Lokesh said value-based education, gender sensitivity, yoga, and sports should receive equal importance in schools.

HRD Department Secretary Kona Sasidhar called upon officials to continue working with accountability and commitment to achieve the government’s educational goals. School Education Commissioner Thameem Ansariya and others were present.