
VIJAYAWADA: HRD and IT Minister Nara Lokesh has assured that the recognition period for private schools in the State will be extended to 10 years, addressing a key demand of private school associations.
During a meeting with representatives and managements of private schools at his residence in Undavalli on Monday, Lokesh assured that the government is committed to strengthening the education system and resolving the challenges faced by private institutions.
He said that in the seven months since the coalition government came to power, significant reforms have been initiated. “I have a sacred responsibility as the Education Minister. Strengthening government schools is a priority, but private institutions also play a crucial role.
Due to the inefficiency of the previous YSRCP government, lakhs of students shifted to private schools. Our goal is to improve standards in both sectors and take the education system forward through collective efforts,” he said.
Lokesh stated that curriculum changes and measures to instill moral values have been introduced. He criticized the declining standards in government schools under the previous administration, which led to multiple challenges. He reiterated that reforms are being implemented only after thorough consultations with stakeholders.
The minister assured private school representatives that their concerns would be addressed and that he is committed to restoring order to the education system, which he described as chaotic under the previous government.
Private school representatives presented several requests, including the Campus Protection Act, simplification of procedures for obtaining fire, structural, and sanitation certificates, and official recognition of private school associations. They also sought recognition of pre-primary schools, permission for unqualified teachers to pursue D.El.Ed, and an extension of the operational life of private school buses that remained idle during COVID-19 pandemic.
Other demands included converting 150 Telugu-medium private schools to English-medium, providing loans to budget schools, reinstating the 10th-grade grading system, and allowing private school teachers to participate in government training programmes.
'Quality of engineering education standards will be raised'
Nara Lokesh has asserted the need to improve the quality of engineering education in the State. In a meeting with representatives of the Engineering Colleges Management Association at his Undavalli residence, Lokesh assured that the State government is committed to bringing significant reforms across all levels of education.
College representatives highlighted various challenges they face, including fee reimbursement delays, placement concerns, and the need for structured counselling and admissions.
He acknowledged that the education system weakened due to the negligence of previous YSRCP government and reiterated his commitment to implementing reforms. He pointed out that Intermediate education had not seen any significant reforms in the last decade, but his ministry had taken initiative to plug gaps.