VIJAYAWADA: Directing officials to efficiently track students’ attendance, Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy pointed out that the State government has been implementing schemes like Amma Vodi, Vidya Deevena and Vasathi Deevena to bring down dropout rate.
During a review meet with the education department on Monday, Jagan instructed officials to use the synergy between the education department and the secretariats to reduce the dropout rate.
The Chief Minister asked officials to complete printing of next year’s Vidya Kanuka textbooks in advance. Responding, they told him that the kits would be ready by May 15. He also underlined the need to prepare e-content so that students could attempt TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) at primary and junior levels.
Jagan suggested that students undergo tests in reading, writing and listening to improve their skills and asked officials to give certificates to those who perform well.
Elaborating, he said these exams should be conducted for students from third to fifth grade under the primary level and for sixth to tenth-grade students at the junior level. Teachers, too, should be prepared, he added.
Meanwhile, officials informed him that arrangements are underway to provide training to 1998 DSC candidates during the summer. They also told the Chief Minister that steps are being taken to provide IFPs (Interactive Flat Panels) in classrooms by June.
They briefed him on the distribution of tabs to students of Class VIII, standard operating procedures developed for their maintenance, and progress of works under the second phase of Mana Badi Nadu-Nedu.
Further, Jagan instructed officials to inspect the implementation of the midday meal scheme and ensure quality of the food. He also asked them to recruit teachers to maintain the necessary student-teacher ratio through periodical review. So far, 1,000 government schools have been granted CBSE affiliation while steps are underway to get the same for the remaining schools, they told him. Education minister B Satyanarayana and other officials were present.