AP Govt imparting quality education to downtrodden to eradicate poverty: Jagan

Tirupati, January 24: Chief Minister jagan Mohan Reddy on Wednesday said that quality education was the key to alleviating poverty and positioning students from economically weaker sections competitively on the global stage.

Addressing the India Today Education Summit, the Chief Minister emphasized his government's commitment to advancing educational reforms, with a focus on empowering students from government schools to be globally competitive.

In response to queries from senior journalist Rajdeep Sardesai, the Chief Minister acknowledged the trend of affluent families enrolling their children in private schools and underscored the need to support students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds in competing for a better future.

He highlighted the government's efforts to provide quality education to the underprivileged through the digitalization of classrooms, instruction in modern subjects, English medium teaching, bilingual textbooks, and improved infrastructure under the Nadu-Nedu initiative.

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Regarding the introduction of the International Baccalaureate (IB) curriculum in government schools, the Chief Minister announced plans to implement it starting from the academic year 2025-26. Initially, Class 1 students would be introduced to the curriculum, gradually progressing to higher classes over ten years.

Additionally, the Chief Minister stated that the government is actively working to ensure an adequate number of teachers for capacity building in line with evolving educational content and requirements.

Addressing concerns about funding for educational reforms, he assured that the government has a well-defined roadmap for implementation, citing a budget of Rs. 14,000 crores for the Nadu-Nedu initiative. Of this, he said around Rs 8,300 crore has already been spent in the first phase. He emphasized the commitment to spending substantial amounts on the education sector to make quality education accessible to the poor as a fundamental right.

"We are not just advocating the Right to Education but the Right to Quality Education," he emphasized.

When questioned about accountability, the Chief Minister explained that school committees, responsible teachers, and district-level officers regularly monitor the situation. He personally conducts periodic reviews to ensure efficient fund utilization and the provision of facilities, fostering a culture of accountability.

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Responding to queries about the political implications of educational reforms, the Chief Minister asserted that students are not voters, and the government's motives are devoid of political considerations. He underscored that poverty cannot be eradicated without improving lives through quality education.

The government's goal, he said, is to demonstrate that students from marginalized families can compete globally, introducing honours courses, specialized subjects, and mandatory internships to make education job-oriented and empower students for a brighter future.