Andhra Pradesh HRD Minister promises an alternative to G.O. 117 and steps to boost admissions in government schools

Andhra Pradesh HRD Minister promises an alternative to G.O. 117 and steps to boost admissions in government schools. A total of 10,49,596 students from Classes 1 to 10 moved away from the government schools due to the G.O. issued by the YSRCP dispensation, he informs the Legislative Council. Objecting to a member’s remark on ‘saffronisation in education’, he says the coalition government wants the students to excel, irrespective of caste, religion or region.

Minister for Human Resources Development (HRD) Nara Lokesh on Wednesday said the Government of Andhra Pradesh would bring an alternative to G.O. 117 issued by the previous YSRCP government.

Mr. Lokesh was responding to a question raised in the Legislative Council on the reapportionment of teachers.

Due to G.O. 117, a total of 10,49,596 students from Classes 1 to 10 had moved away from the government schools. The schools with fewer than 10 students, which were 1,215 in 2021-22, increased to 5,312, registering a fourfold rise, the Minister said. Similarly, the number of schools with fewer than 20 students increased from 5,520 to 14,052. Besides, there were 12,512 single-teacher schools, he said.

Mr. Lokesh said, as promised during his padayatra, an alternative to the said G.O. would be issued, and no school would be closed.

He said the efforts of the School Education Department were towards increasing admissions in the government schools by involving all the stakeholders. If there were more than 60 students, one class and one teacher would be provided for them.

“The idea is to establish 7,000 to 8,000 model primary schools. We want to provide a model school in each panchayat in the second phase,” Mr. Lokesh said, informing that the upper primary schools would continue, while a decision on pre-schools would be taken after holding discussions on the issue.

Responding to a member’s charge on “saffronisation in education,” the Minister, while strongly opposing it, said, “We wish students to excel in their studies, irrespective of caste, religion or region. Bringing religion into the curriculum is not appropriate.”