GUNTUR: Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy formally launched the distribution of Jagananna Vidya Kanuka kits worth Rs 1,042.53 crore to 43,10,165 students belonging to classes 1 to 10, studying in government and government-aided schools across the State.
Addressing a huge public meeting filled with students and their parents on Monday before launching the distribution of kits in Krosuru of Palnadu district, the Chief Minister said that the government has introduced revolutionary changes in the educational sector to ensure that each family in the State produces engineers, doctors, scientists, entrepreneurs, economists, software CEOs and leaders.
Describing the distribution of Vidya Kanuka kits as a festival in which Ministers, MLAs, officials and others are participating, Jagan Mohan Reddy said that he had come forward to help the students like their maternal uncle. A total of Rs 3,366 crore was spent in the last four years under the Vidya Kanuka alone, he added.
The kits comprise bilingual text books of English and Telugu content, notebooks, work books, three pairs of uniforms with stitching charges, a pair of shoes and two pairs of socks, belt and a school bag along with Oxford English-Telugu dictionary for students of classes 6 to 10 and pictorial dictionary for students of classes 1 to 5. The kits are handed over to students on the day of reopening of schools after a four-stage scrutiny by Quality Council of India.
“Quality kits worth Rs 2,400 each are being distributed so that you don’t have to worry about the study material,” the CM said.
He said the government has signed an MoU with the US firm ETS (Educational Testing Service) to train the students of classes 3 to 9 with TOEFL-facing skills and the teachers also would be sent to the US for acquiring necessary teaching skills. Students should gain expertise in the emerging and future technologies to become global citizens with good communication skills, he added.
Speaking about digitalization, he said, “Digitalization of teaching through IFPs in 15,750 schools in first phase of Nadu-Nedu would be completed by July 12 and in 16,000 schools in the second phase would be completed by December.”
Disclosing that the government has so far spent Rs 60,329 crore on education alone, he further said the State is becoming a role model for the country in education with the implementation of several educational programmes like Amma Vodi, Jagananna Vidya Deevena, Vasathi Deevena, Goru Muddha, Sampoorna Poshana, Videshi Vidya Deevena and Nadu-Nedu.
Byjus-content loaded tabs would be distributed to class 8 students on December 21 coinciding with my birthday, he said adding that the government is ready to do more for the students.
In response to the appeal made by Pedakurapadu MLA N Sankara Rao, the Chief Minister sanctioned Rs 45 crore for a lift irrigation scheme at Talla Cheruvu and agreed to announce R&R package for 128 displaced families in relation to Pulichintala project. Earlier, the CM laid foundation stone for the Rs 60 crore bridge at Madinapadu and inaugurated the Government Polytechnic College at Krosuru.