VIJAYAWADA: HRD, IT and Electronics Minister Nara Lokesh on Monday unveiled his vision to see ‘No Admission’ boards outside government schools across Andhra Pradesh, citing overwhelming demand and rising enrolment.
Responding to a query from Narasaraopet MLA Chadalavada Aravinda Babu in the Assembly, Lokesh said 100 government schools have already displayed such boards this year.
The government aims to replicate this success across all 42,000-plus government schools in the State.
Lokesh criticised the previous administration’s GO 117 and GO 85, calling them a “deathblow” to primary education. He claimed the orders led to the exodus of nearly 10 lakh underprivileged students from government schools.
These directives were repealed on 13 May 2025 and replaced with GOs 19, 20 and 21, introducing the ‘One Class – One Teacher’ model to improve education quality.
Under the current government, the number of schools following this model has risen from 1,398 to 9,620. Upper primary schools have also seen an upgrade, increasing from 124 to 729.
Lokesh said the government is committed to transforming government schools into institutions that rival private ones.
Through the “Mana Badi – Mana Bhavishyathu” initiative, infrastructure is being enhanced, with proposals in place for additional classrooms and facilities.
An online portal has been launched to enable transparent donor funding under the supervision of School Management Committees (SMCs). Schools may be named after donors based on their contributions.
A star-rating system is already in effect, with MLAs tasked with improving one- and two-star schools by focusing on attendance, academic performance and learning outcomes.
To improve accessibility, students attending primary schools located more than a kilometre away will receive `600 per month for 10 months as a transport allowance, credited directly to parents’ accounts. Around 70,000 students are expected to benefit this year.
“We are committed to making government schools outperform private ones, delivering better results and ensuring quality education for all,” Lokesh said.