VIJAYAWADA: Education saw a significant jump in budgetary allocation for 2022-23. The State government has earmarked Rs 30,134.36 crore for the sector, compared with Rs 24,624.22 crore for 2021-22. As per the budget estimates, school education received Rs 27,706.66 crore, which is 12.52% higher than the allocation for 2021-22; higher education received Rs 2,014 crore against Rs 1,973 crore in 2021-22. Technical education received Rs 413.50 crore, up from Rs 370.46 crore in the current fiscal.
Finance Minister Buggana Rajendranath Reddy, while presenting the annual State Budget on Friday, cited NITI Aayog’s Multidimensional Poverty Index Report of 2021, which states that less than 2% of the population in Andhra Pradesh is deprived of school education.
Buganna also announced Rs 3,500 crore for the upgradation of 24,620 schools in phase-III of Mana-Badi Nadu Nedu in 2022-23. Under the programme, modernisation of 10 infrastructure facilities was completed in 15,715 schools in phase-I.
The facilities included furniture, green chalkboards, fans and lights, drinking water, painting, necessary repairs, good washrooms with running water, compound walls, kitchens and English labs. Works for the upgradation of 16,368 schools in phase-II are going on.
The finance minister said Rs 6,500 crore has been earmarked for Amma Vodi in 2022-23. So far, the government has transferred Rs 15,000 directly into the accounts of 44,48,865 mothers, benefitting around 84 lakh students of schools and Intermediate colleges.
“The adjusted Net Enrolment Ratio in elementary education (classes 1 to 8) increased from 80.48% in 2019-20 to 91.72% in 2021-22. The impact of pioneering programmes in education is reflected in the impressive progress achieved in SDG(Sustainable Development Goal) 4 - Quality Education,” Buggana noted.
The average annual dropout rate at the secondary level (classes 9 and 10) has reduced from 15.71 in 2019-20 to 2.84 in 2021-22. The Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) in higher secondary (classes 11 and 12) has increased from 69 in 2014-15 to 75.46 in 2021-22. Furthermore, 94.56% of schools have basic infrastructure, and 100% of teachers at the secondary level are trained.
Referring to Jagananna Vidya Deevana and Jagananna Vasathi Deevana, the minister said the GER in higher education (18-23 years) has increased from 32.4 in 2019-20 to 53.89 in 2021-22. This increase in the GER was attributed to the total fee reimbursement and maintenance fee provided to students from financially weaker families.
Fees to the tune of Rs 4,500 crore, covering 87% of students of higher education, have been reimbursed.
An allocation of Rs 2,500 crore has been given for Jagananna Vidya Deevana and Rs 2,083.32 crore for Jagananna Vasathi Deevana during 2022-23.
Meanwhile, ‘new model degree colleges’ are being established in aspirational districts of the State to improve the accessibility to higher education for SC/ST and socially and educationally backward communities. One such college for women is being constructed in Araku. The State government has allocated Rs 30.40 crore for Yogi Vemana University, and Rs 10 lakh for CP Brown Library.
Commenting on the State Budget, MLC KS Laxman Rao told TNIE that the government increasing the quantum of allocation to the School Education department is a positive sign, but the funds earmarked for Higher Education are meagre.
“The government should focus more on higher education, which is crucial in shaping students’ careers. YS Rajasekhar Reddy, during his tenure as CM, established universities for each district, which are now lacking in basic amenities and infrastructure.” He opined that the government should have allotted Rs 1,000-2,000 crore more for higher education.
United Teachers Federation (UTF) president KSS Prasad said the government has allocated only 10.8% of the outlay for the education sector in the annual Budget for 2022-23.“The government, which claims to be innovative in reforming education in the State, should at least allocate 30% of the total funds to the sector,” he felt. On the allocations for Higher education, he observed that there is a meagre jump of Rs 37 crore over last year.
