VIJAYAWADA: Teachers need to play a key role in shaping the future of students in the competitive world, said Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy. Speaking at the Teachers’ Day celebrations organised by the School Education Department here on Monday, he reiterated that the State government introduced several reforms in the education sector to impart quality education to students. He paid floral tributes to the statue of Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan to mark the birth anniversary of the former President, which is celebrated as Teachers’ Day. He mentioned the quote of Alexander the Great that “I am indebted to my father for living, but to my teacher for living well” to highlight the importance of a teacher in the society.
“The State government has accorded top priority to the education sector to ensure the bright future of students. It has spent over Rs 53,000 crore on the education sector in the last three years under various schemes that are aimed at placing Andhra Pradesh top in the country in standards of education, rate of literacy, checking the school dropout rate and achieving 70% Gross Enrolment Ratio in higher education,” he said. Greeting the teachers on the occasion, he said the reforms introduced by the government are aimed at creating a better society for youngsters and not to trouble the teachers.
The reforms included revamping the government schools under Nadu-Nedu, Jagananna Goru Muddha, English medium education, Vidya Kanuka, CBSE syllabus, subject teachers, Byju’s package, tablets to eighth class students, digital classrooms, upgrading teachers skills, Vidya Deevena and Vasathi Deevena.
He further said their aim is to provide quality education to the marginalised sections of the society and ensuring a better future for deprived classes.
“Increasing the retirement age to 62 and awarding promotions to teachers, we brought in such reforms and the pension issue which was not resolved for long, is also being taken up to sincerely find a solution by our government,” Jagan said.
The Chief Minister alleged that the previous TDP regime never bothered to solve the issues and weakened all the sectors, including the education, medical and transport sectors. Now, they are speaking against the YSRC government and provoking the teachers to get political mileage, he charged.Later, the Chief Minister honoured 176 teachers with the Best Teacher Awards in recognition of their services.