SRIKAKULAM: Education is every child’s right and ensuring it is our responsibility, Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan said at a public gathering in Srikakulam town on Monday after crediting `6,595 crore into the accounts of 43,96,402 mothers of school-going children under the Amma Vodi scheme.
As many as 82,31,502 students stand to benefit from this tranche of financial assistance, that has been released for the third consecutive year.
Stating that Amma Vodi is an important step towards educating every child in the State and securing their future, Jagan reiterated his government’s commitment to ensure a better future for children of Andhra Pradesh through quality education.
“It is only with education that one can change the fate of an individual, family, society and nation,” Jagan said.The chief minister stressed that everyone should understand that there is no greater asset than education. A total of `19,617.53 crore has been spent for the scheme in the last three years.
Minimum attendance made mandatory to avail benefits, says CM
Clarifying that only students with an attendance of 75 per cent and above are eligible for Amma Vodi, the CM explained that in the first year (2019-20), the provision was relaxed as it was the initial year of implementation of the scheme. “In the subsequent year, the rule was not taken into consideration due to the pandemic. But as schools reopened in September 2021 and normalcy was restored, minimum attendance was made mandatory to avail the benefit,” Jagan said.
Informing that 51,000 students could not receive the aid under the scheme as they did not have the minimum attendance, the CM expressed sadness as 1.14 per cent of the total beneficiaries were left out due to rules. He hoped that such an issue would not recur. Referring to the government’s decision to deduct`1,000 each for school and toilet maintenance fund, the CM emphasised that it was necessary to ensure that schools, revamped under Nadu-Nedu with several thousands of crores, are maintained properly. “The parents committee and headmasters will monitor how the fund is spent. Mothers will now also have a right to question the management, if there are any shortcomings in the school and toilet maintenance,” Jagan said.
Lambasting the Opposition and its supporters for criticising the government for creating a fund for maintaining schools, Jagan asked them whether they had spent even a single paisa for ensuring that children went to school without the mothers feeling burdened.He further said his government has spent `52,600.65 crore, in the last three years, under seven different schemes meant for school and college students.
Speaking about the pact between the government and Byju’s, Jagan explained that the education technology firm will provide free content, which is valued at `24,000, to students and guide them in their switch from State to CBSE syllabus.Reiterating that the government will spend `500 crore to provide tablets, each priced at 12,000, to 4.7 lakh Class VIII students, Jagan said the objective of the move was to help the students prepare for writing CBSE Class X exams in English medium in the academic year 2025.
Assuring the students that the tabs will be part of Vidya Kanuka, Jagan announced that henceforth, every classroom will be equipped with a TV or digital display board to teach lessons in digital format.
Jagan further asserted that the government’s efforts were yielding results as the number of students in government schools increased from 37.21 lakh in 2018-19 to 44.20 lakh in 2021-22. Overall admission, including in private schools, increased to 72.47 lakh.