Chief Minister emphasises need for skill upgradation among students

Chief Minister Revanth Reddy prioritizes skill development, quality education, and infrastructure improvements in government schools for student employability.

Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy underscored the significance of skill development among students to enhance their employability in the industry, asserting that his government is committed to providing quality education and skill training through various initiatives. Alleging that the previous Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) government had neglected residential schools, he announced that his administration would ensure the timely release of funds for these institutions through a green channel by the 10th of every month.

Speaking at the launch of the ‘Uniform Diet Programme’ at the Social Welfare Residential School in Chilkoor under the Chevella Assembly constituency on Saturday, the Chief Minister reaffirmed his government’s commitment to overhauling the education system to improve standards and address long-standing issues. Highlighting deficiencies in diet, cosmetics and infrastructure under the previous administration, he noted that diet charges had been increased by 40% and cosmetic charges by 200%.

Expressing concern over declining enrolment in government educational institutions, Mr. Reddy pointed out that 23 lakh students are enrolled in 26,000 government schools, while 33 lakh students attend 11,000 private institutions. He questioned the disparity in outcomes between government and private schools, urging the teaching and non-teaching staff in government schools to introspect and work towards improving standards. “We need to dispel the misconception that students from private institutions are inherently more talented than those from government schools,” he said.

The Chief Minister announced that he would personally visit residential schools during his official tours and warned of strict action against those neglecting their responsibilities. To address recent food poisoning incidents in residential schools, he directed officials to establish ‘mess management committees’ involving students. He lamented the lack of focus on infrastructure and student welfare by previous administrations, reiterating his government’s commitment to addressing these issues.

Acknowledging the link between unemployment and a lack of skills, the Chief Minister stated that the government had upgraded 75 ITIs into Advanced Technology Centres in collaboration with Tata Technologies. The Young India Skills University is providing skill development training, and plans are under way to establish a Young India Sports University and Sports Academy to prepare students for the Olympics.