AP Govt For Strong Foundation in Primary Education

Amaravati: Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy held a review meeting with Education and Woman and Child Welfare Departments on providing strong foundational education to Pre-Primary and Primary students at the camp office here on Thursday.

The officials of school education and women and child welfare departments have laid proposals for strong foundational education to Pre-Primary and Primary students as discussed in an earlier meeting. Special focus is laid on children of age 3-8 years who have good brain development. The new proposals were laid with a focus on effective utilization of teachers and providing the best education to Pre-Primary and Primary students and foundational schools will be set up in this regard. YSR Sampoorna Poshana will be implemented as usual in these foundational schools.

The proposals laid by officials are as follows:

1.  Foundation‌ Schools for PP-1, PP-2, Preparatory, 1st Class, 2nd Class. The Anganwadi Centers will be merged in nearby local primary schools thus forming foundational schools.

2. Anganwadi Centers being converted into PP-1 and PP-2 will come under the purview of Foundational schools. Curriculum, comprehensive teaching methods, enhancing the skill level related to PP-1 and PP-2, and focusing on multi-level learning through foundational schools.

3. Classes 3,4,5 of primary schools will be transferred to nearby upper primary schools and high schools. The upper primary schools will be converted into high schools in this regard. Classrooms will be constructed as per the requirement.

4. A proposal is laid to bring Anganwadi teachers into the teaching stream as foundational schools were set up. Those will be given the training to gain skills. They can get to work as SGTs in primary schools through promotions.

5. Health-related activities of Anganwadi centers will be changed to YSR Village Clinics and urban clinics.  Health, nutrition awareness, health screening, vaccines for immunizations, referral services will be changed to clinics.

During the review meeting, the Chief Minister said it was his quest to provide education with the best standards to poor students and YSR Pre Primary Schools and Foundational schools have come up from those thoughts.  Mana Badi Nadu Nedu was started to provide the best education to students along with all facilities and schools are being revamped as a part of this programme. The Chief Minister instructed to examine on cost impart and education impact due to the proposals laid.  He said the government is planning to set up a junior college in every Mandal and directed the officials to study the feasible options and a decision will be taken later.

All the Foundation‌ schools to be set up should be within a kilometer‌ radius and all high schools should be within a three-kilometres radius. The Mapping of YSR Pre Primary Schools should be done such that they are very near to students. Appropriate rationalization should be undertaken to make greater use of the teaching capacity of teachers. The Chief Minister directed the officials to think about the impact of the implementation of the new proposals and to report in the next review. If these proposals are to be implemented, at first, Classes 3,4,5 will be transferred to upper primary or high schools. After all this work is completed, a plan should be prepared to start Nadu Nedu works in foundational schools.

The Chief Minister directed the officials to focus on digital teaching once foundational schools are set up. He said to prepare digital teaching methodology. He said they have been changed from blackboards to green boards and they will be changed to digital boards in the coming days. He suggested the officials to ensure the durability of digital boards. He said the equipment that is being set up should be like a robot and added to Identify the devices that are less likely to be repaired.

Education Minister Adimulapu Suresh, Women and Child Welfare Minister Thaneti Vanitha, School Education Principal Secretary Buditi Rajashekar, Woman and Child Welfare Principal Secretary AR Anuradha, Panchayat Raj Commissioner Girija Shankar, School Education Commissioner Chinaveerabhadrudu, Women and Child Welfare director Kritika Shukla, and other senior officials were present.