Chief Minister Y.S .Jagan Mohan Reddy on Thursday asserted that his government would rewrite history by going ahead with the “bold decision” to introduce English medium from Classes 1 to 6 in government schools from the next academic year to ensure a bright future for future generations.
“I know that the path taken by me is a challenging one, but I will not swerve from it as the future of youth is at stake,” Mr. Jagan said amid applause from assembled children from government schools during the launch of the “Mana Badi Naadu-Nedu” programme.
Envisaging dramatic technological development in the next 20 to 30 years, he said those without English education would not stand a chance.
Bridge courses
“Bridge courses would be conducted for students during the transition period,” the CM said while giving details of a unique three-year programme to revamp nearly 45,000 government schools, including 15,715 in the first phase. The amenities planned include English labs to hone communication skills of students and provision of safe drinking water.
In “a first-of-its kind initiative,” a Skill Development University would be set up with 25 affiliated colleges in each of the 25 Lok Sabha constituencies in the State, he said.
Mothers need to just send their children to schools. The government would provide ₹ 15,000 to each of them per year under the Amma Vodi scheme, he said after paying floral tributes to Jawaharlal Nehru whose birth anniversary is celebrated as Children’s Day.
Pointing out that poverty is one of the reasons for children discontinuing their studies, he said: “My government will fully reimburse fees paid for higher education so that at least one member each from every family becomes a doctor or an engineer or an IAS officer.”
The government would also pay ₹20,000 per annum for stay in hostel for students pursuing higher education. In a short period of 4 to 5 months, 4 lakh jobs, including 1.30 government jobs, had been created, he added.
‘It’s unfair to burden the poor’
Education Minister A. Suresh felt that “it is unfair to expect the underprivileged sections bear the burden of nurturing Telugu language and culture.”
Energy Minister and local MLA Balineni Srinivasa Reddy spoke.
