Education Minister Adimulapu Suresh on Thursday took objection to the TDP leader Nara Lokesh’s criticism of the government decision to go ahead with the conduct of the 10th Class and Intermediate exams.
At a press conference, Mr. Suresh said a lot of thought had gone into the decision to hold the examinations. Last year, the students who had lost their academic year had been facing serious academic problems due to the government’s inability to conduct 10th class exams. “We did not want a repeat of the situation this year,” said the Minister.
Mr. Suresh also objected to the language used by the TDP leader against the Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy. He said the student community in the State was happy with the welfare schemes introduced by the government as part of reforms in the education sector. As a result, government schools had witnessed nearly 4.5 lakh additional enrolments this academic year.
The Minister accused Mr. Lokesh of trying to create a fear psychosis among students and their parents by making exaggerated statements that 70 lakh students would contract the virus if the examinations were conducted.
He said the government was sensitive to the problems of students in these difficult times and it had been doing all it could to ensure their health safety even while trying to reach out to them and impart lessons in some mode or the other.
Last year also, the department could conduct 10th class exams but was forced to cancel the supplementary tests in view of the rapid spread of the virus.
Explaining the measures initiated by the government for the safety of the student community, the Minister said it was unfair on the part of the TDP leader to sit in Hyderabad and criticise the government here.
The Minister said COVID protocol was being strictly followed in the government schools and colleges but there were reports of violations in some private educational institutions. He said managements of such institutions would be punished.
He said students should exercise patience and confine themselves to indoors normalcy returns.
