AP CM Jagan Mohan Reddy launches the 'Nadu-Nedu' Education programme

Starting a new chapter in the Andhra Pradesh education sector, Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has launched the 'Nadu-Nedu' programme. The 'Nadu-Nedu' programme aims at transforming government schools into vibrant and competitive institutions. Reddy stated that his YSRCP-led stated the government will overcome all the challenges and clear every hurdle as the goal to meet the requirement of what the fast-changing technology in the world expects from youth, ten years from now.

Addressing the gathering at a school, Reddy said, "Despite the criticism from detractors, we will go with English medium schools as we have to prepare the students to boldly face and meet up the requirements of the technology-driven world. We should not feel guilty. It will be done so that the future generation can be prepared to face the highly dynamic and technology-driven world." Reddy added, "Change will come only if the right decision is taken at the right time as we are competing with a job market that would be there five, ten or fifteen years from now."

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'There has been criticism and detractors'

The Andhra Chief Minister also targeted the opposition for targeting him over the launch of the campaign and said, "There has been criticism and detractors have been running a campaign targeting me, but we will carry our mission and the future of the next generation is our top priority. We will transform all government schools with the required infrastructure and up-gradation of skills besides setting up of English labs in addition to providing basic amenities like clean environs, furniture, toilets, running water, compound wall, blackboard, renovation and involve parent committee." The scheme will be implemented in 15,715 schools in the first phase and will cover all schools in three years' time with a budget of Rs 12,000 crore. For the first year, Rs 3,500 crore will be spent for the development of the infrastructure. "With the introduction of English medium from Classes 1 to 6, there are many detractors and those in high positions have been criticising it. They should realise that there is no place for hypocrisy in democracy. They have to introspect before sending their children and grandchildren to government schools or to English Medium schools," he added.

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An expert committee lead by Balakrishnan stated that a large amount has to be spent

The expert committee for the reformation in the education sector, on October 29, explained its recommendation to the Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy at the Secretariat in Amaravati. The Chairman of the Committee, Professor N. Balakrishnan had given a presentation about the actions to be taken by the government to strengthen the educational system. Till the date, the committee members have toured at the field level for several times and have met six times. The expert committee lead by Balakrishnan stated that a large amount has to be spent on strengthening the government education system. The committee further identified several key issues and the infrastructure in the public schools are in poor condition and the teaching practices are below par. They added, there is a crucial need to improve the teaching skills.

They further recommended that all government schools should have the infrastructure and digital facilities and campaigns should be conducted to increase writing and reading skills. An assessment tracking should be done on each student to see that no student from tribal areas drops out from schools, the committee suggested. The expert committee suggested that there should be vocational education from eighth grade and recommended that the weight of school bags be reduced. The committee added all the teachers should be trained as the English medium is being implemented for 1st to 8th-grade students in every school from next year. There must be an assessment of the expertise of teachers. Compulsory free education should be implemented until the intermediate and all the high schools should be upgraded to intermediate colleges. It said that the SSC and Intermediate Boards shall be merged under one commissioner. All schools shall be brought under SERT syllabus. A set of guidelines should be prepared for the teachers that are working in unaided schools. There should be a council for the management of Gurukul schools and a corporation for digital education. Every month the district collector should hold a review meeting, the committee suggested.

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