Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy on Monday directed officials to secure CBSE affiliation for all government schools by the year 2024, implement Amma Vodi and Jagananna Vidya Kanuka schemes in letter and spirit and to acquire lands wherever required to allot playgrounds to schools.
In a review meeting on education, Mr. Jagan said every school should have a playground and ordered that the officials should map schools not having the facility.
He ordered the officials to link students’ attendance to the Amma Vodi scheme from 2022 and that the financial assistance under the scheme should be extended at the beginning of the academic year.
The Chief Minister instructed the officials to issue orders for procurement of items under Jagananna Vidya Kanuka by December and to ensure that kits were delivered to students before the reopening of schools every year.
He also called for an action plan to make ₹1 lakh available to every school to facilitate maintenance works. The officials proposed to give rankings on the performance of schools through social audits. The Chief Minister directed them to speak to teachers in that regard.
Mr. Jagan told the officials to make it clear that the government was not for forceful merger of aided schools.
As far as COVID was concerned, the Chief Minister ordered that precautions should be taken to keep both the students and teachers safe. The officials informed him there was no significant impact of the virus in schools due to various preventive measures, and stated that all the teachers were vaccinated and they were attending schools as usual.
The attendance of students in August was 73%, 82% in September and 85% in October. It is now 91%.
Education Minister Audimulapu Suresh, Principal Secretaries B. Rajashekar (School Education), A.R. Anuradha (Women and Child Welfare), Finance Secretary N. Gulzar, Women and Child Welfare Director Kritika Shukla, Director (Mid-day Meals and Sanitation) B.M. Diwan and Commissioner of School Education V. Chinaveerabhadrudu were present.
