VIJAYAWADA: Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy is striving to ensure poverty does not become a hindrance in the pursuit of education and every effort is being made to provide quality education to the poor children, Government Advisor (public affairs) Sajjala Ramakrishna Reddy said.
Participating in a webinar on ‘Role of Teacher in Society - Government’s new education policy’ organised by the YSR Congress party on the occasion of the Teacher’s Day on Sunday, Sajjala said the role of teacher is paramount in sculpting character and future of the children. “After their parents, children spend more time with their teachers. In fact in today’s era, where the world has become a global village, a child’s interaction with a teacher is more than any other person. Only when a teacher guides the students on a moral and ethical path and inculcates good habits and responsible lifestyle, making of a brighter society is possible,” he opined.
Elaborating on how the Chief Minister is giving top priority to education, he said from Anganwadi centres to PG courses, several facilities are being provided. Understanding that better infrastructure is needed to ensure better education, the Nadu-Nedu scheme to revamp government schools was taken up at a cost of Rs 16,000 crore.
He alleged that the previous government had totally neglected the education and health sectors and for the poor, they became an unreachable goal. “But today, our government is giving top priority to those two important sectors and with a goal to provide corporate education to children and good medical and health services to people through Aarogyasri, that too for free,” he explained.
According to him, government schools today have a vibrant and conducive atmosphere for proper development of the children in all aspects and the schools have been equipped with basic infrastructure, computer digital labels, clean toilets, better sporting facilities and children are being provided with notebooks, textbooks, uniforms, shoes and nutritious food through mid-day meals programme — Jagananna Gorumudda.
Explaining the goal of Ammavodi, he said when mothers are provided with money, she will ensure her children are educated, which brings down school dropout rate.“Jagan strongly believes that only with quality education, better future citizens of the nation can be produced and has taken steps in that direction. Further, to ensure our children are better equipped to face the future challenges at the global level, education is being provided in English medium. But unfortunately, it is being taken out of context and being projected as if the government is doing injustice to the mother tongue. Those critics, who are politically motivated, should understand that in the present competitive world, being comfortable in English language communication will not only be an advantage but also create self-confidence,” he observed.
Minister for Education Audimulapu Suresh said teachers have a responsibility to ensure social awareness and responsibility among the students. He said teachers have to play a key role in ensuring the success of the New Education Policy and moulding the children as global students.The minister said students should be taught as per their comprehensive ability and scientific temper.
The minister said the Chief Minister’s efforts to bring in revolutionary changes in the education sector saw admissions to government schools increase by six lakh in the last two years. Best Teacher awardee Ramalingeswara Swamy and others also spoke.
‘Determined to end commercialisation’
The Education Minister said the Chief Minister’s efforts to bring in revolutionary changes in the education sector saw admissions to government schools increase by six lakh in the last two years. “We are determined to end commercialisation in education,” he asserted.