Andhra Pradesh Bets Big on Public Education Reform as Lokesh Unveils Ambitious School Transformation Plan

The Andhra Pradesh government is preparing for a major overhaul of the public education system with Education Minister Nara Lokesh unveiling an aggressive action plan aimed at building an Andhra model of education that can stand as an example for the rest of the country. Lokesh made it clear that the government wants every child in the state to have access to quality education through strong public schools. He urged officials and teachers to treat government school students like their own children and focus on achieving complete enrolment across the state. The larger goal is to create a world class public school ecosystem that combines modern learning methods with strong moral values. During a high level review meeting with District Education Officers and APCs at the Amaravati Secretariat, Lokesh said the government is committed to bringing international teaching standards into Andhra Pradesh classrooms. As part of that effort, teachers will be sent abroad to study global best practices. Those methods will later be introduced in government schools across the state. He said the education system must become strong enough to compete with the open market and private institutions. Lokesh also pointed out that the education department lacked proper data systems and visibility in the past. To address that gap, the government has now developed a comprehensive dashboard that will help officials monitor performance and execute future plans with better accuracy. The dashboard will soon be made available to the public as well. One of the biggest concerns highlighted during the meeting was the large number of school dropouts and children who were never enrolled in schools. Officials have been directed to identify and track such children carefully. Lokesh stressed that no child should be pushed into farm work or left outside the education system. He also instructed schools to increase admissions by at least 10 percent. The minister called for the Guaranteed Foundational Literacy and Numeracy programme to be treated like a statewide movement. He announced that ninth class students will soon receive clicker technology devices and Chromebooks to improve digital learning outcomes. The government is also preparing to introduce advanced learning systems such as AI based learning platforms, AI tutors and PAL programmes to modernise classrooms and improve student engagement. In another major step, Andhra Pradesh has introduced a star rating system for government schools based on the availability of infrastructure. Lokesh said every school must have leak proof buildings, safe drinking water, clean toilets and proper benches. He encouraged officials to seek support from donors wherever needed. The minister also announced plans to establish smart kitchens across the state over the next two years on the lines of the Kadapa model. He cited the transformation of Nidamarru School in Mangalagiri constituency as a successful example. According to him, the school has now become so popular that authorities had to put up a “No Admission” board because of overwhelming demand. Lokesh wants every district in Andhra Pradesh to have at least one model school built on international standards similar to concepts seen in the United States. The idea is to raise the quality of government schools to a level where parents no longer feel forced to choose private institutions. The reforms also include reducing the administrative burden on teachers so they can focus entirely on teaching. Officials will handle non academic responsibilities while the government monitors performance through the LEAP app. Along with technology driven education, the government is also focusing on character building. Lokesh said students will receive lessons on moral values and gender sensitivity every Saturday under the guidance of renowned speaker Chaganti Koteswara Rao. The minister reviewed district level performance during the meeting and expressed concern over high dropout rates in Visakhapatnam district. He directed officials to pay special attention to urban school admissions. In Krishna district, he asked authorities to monitor areas such as Penamaluru, Gudivada and Machilipatnam where teacher enrolment remains low. Lokesh also praised the improvement in Class 10 results across several districts. Srikakulam moved from 14th place to 5th place in performance rankings while students from Guntur, Kadapa and Tirupati recorded impressive scores. HRD Secretary Kona Sasidhar said the education department has witnessed remarkable reforms over the last two years. He added that the government is now focused on strengthening the system further and achieving long term educational goals without slowing down. The post Andhra Pradesh Bets Big on Public Education Reform as Lokesh Unveils Ambitious School Transformation Plan appeared first on Telugu360.