AP CM launches school kit distribution in State

Krosuru (Palnadu dist) In a bid to improve the job potential of students passing out from government and aided schools across Andhra Pradesh, Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy on Monday formally launched the distribution of Jagananna Vidya Kanuka kits worth Rs 1042.53 crore to 43.10 lakh students studying classes 1 to 10.

Addressing a huge public meeting of students and their parents here, he said that the government has introduced revolutionary changes in the educational sector to ensure that each family in the State produces engineers, doctors, scientists, entrepreneurs, economists, software CEOs and leaders.

Describing the distribution of Vidya Kanuka Kits as a festival in which Ministers, MLAs, officials and others are participating, the Chief Minister said he had come forward to help the students like their maternal uncle. Rs 3,366 crore was spent in the last four years under the Vidya Kanuka alone, he added.

The kits comprise bilingual text books of English and Telugu content, note books, work books, three pairs of uniforms with stitching charges, a pair of shoes and two pairs of socks, belt and a school bag along with Oxford English-Telugu dictionary for students of classes 6 to 10 and pictorial dictionary for students of classes 1 to 5. The kits are handed over to students on the day of reopening of schools after a four-stage scrutiny by Quality Council of India.

“Quality kits worth Rs 2,400 each are being distributed so that you don’t have to worry about the study material,” he said, adding that the government aims to transform the students into globally competitive products.

Reddy said the government signed a MoU with the US firm ETS (Educational Testing Service) to train the students of classes 3 to 9 in attaining TOEFL-facing skills and the teachers also would be sent to the US for acquiring necessary teaching skills. Students should gain expertise in the emerging and future technologies to become global citizens with good communication skills.

Speaking about digitalization, he said that digitalization of teaching through IFPs in 15,750 schools in the first phase of Nadu-Nedu would be completed by July 12 and in 16,000 schools in the second phase would be completed by December, he said.