KADAPA: Utilising the simpler teaching methods the National Council for Educational Research (NCERT) has prepared for the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) syllabus, this 52-year-old teacher has given enormous impetus in increasing student strength in the government schools in Kadapa district.
Ganugapenta Ramana Reddy of Pittagunta Government Primary School in Kasinayana Mandal was adjudged the Best Teacher by the State government for taking a special interest in the overall development of education and increasing student admissions at the schools and for transforming the schools on a par with private and corporate schools.
Ramana Reddy’s move to impart quality education to students has had such an impact that the student strength, which used to be in single-digit, has translated into three digits at some of the schools he had worked. Ramana Reddy wanted to be a teacher after he was inspired by his professors Papaiah, Jayarami Reddy and Shankar Reddy from his graduation days and professor Raghava Reddy, who is the current DEO of Annamayya district.
He joined as a second-grade teacher at the Kavalakuntla Primary School in Porumamilla Mandal on October 27, 1998. Ramana Reddy played a crucial role in the upgradation of the school into a high school. Thereafter, he joined Pullaveedu Mandal Parishad Upper Primary School and strived for improving the school’s resources, which won him accolades from higher officials.
In 2009, Ramana Reddy joined Uppaluru Mandal Parishad Primary School, where the student strength rose to 54 from 21. His remarkable stint came after he joined Pittagunta Primary School. Back in 2017, the primary school was having three students and only one teacher, but within a year the number of students went up to 23, 62 in two years, 84 in three years and crossed the three-digit mark in four years.
As a result, the single-teacher school was upgraded and the authorities appointed four teachers.
This teacher always believed in providing quality education and having a strong base from primary education itself for upgrading the abilities of students. To achieve this end, Ramana Reddy adopted the CBSE methods and used Chand Publication CBSE books for Mathematics and English subjects.
He also uses International Council School Education (ICSE) Oxford methods and teaches them to Class 2 students. Following this, many parents, who were sending their wards to private schools, transferred their children to Pittagunta Primary School.
With the help of donors, Ramana Reddy has procured Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya, Sainik School books, a TV, projector, printer, laptop and sound system worth Rs 2 lakh for the school. Ramana Reddy received the District Best Teacher award from Collector V Sasibushan Kumar in 2016. He also received the State Best Teacher award from Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on September 5, 2022.