Andhra Pradesh to Overhaul School Facilities: IT and Electronics Minister Nara Lokesh Sets One-Year Deadline

In a decisive move to enhance the education infrastructure in Andhra Pradesh, Minister for IT and Electronics, Nara Lokesh, has directed education department officials to ensure that all schools in the state are equipped with basic facilities within one year. This directive was issued during a review meeting with senior education officers at Lokesh's residence in Amaravathi on Saturday.

Lokesh emphasized the urgency of completing all pending projects, including phase-2 and phase-3 works initiated by the previous government. He also expressed concern about the quality of food provided under the mid-day meal scheme and instructed Ambedkar, the scheme's director, to submit a detailed report on measures to improve food quality for students.

Additionally, Lokesh called for a thorough study of New Delhi's policies on school sanitation and cleanliness, aiming to adopt best practices for Andhra Pradesh schools.

The Minister requested comprehensive reports on several key issues, including:

• The number of students migrating from government to private schools in the past five years and the reasons behind this trend.

• The drop-out rates over the same period.

• The distances students travel to reach their schools.

• The number of schools closed in the state and the reasons for their closure.

Lokesh also directed the director of libraries to identify the best model library in the country and provide a detailed review. Furthermore, he asked for reports on the quality and utilization of educational content from BYJU's and the IFB.

Special attention was given to the 82,000 students preparing for the Class 10 exams this year. Lokesh demanded a detailed report on the quality of their coaching and the status of CBSE schools in the state. He set a deadline of the end of the month to complete the distribution of student kits and a July 15 deadline for supplying textbooks, notebooks, and other materials to students in government junior colleges.

Expressing disappointment over the previous government's failure to distribute these materials last year, Lokesh also sought details on cycles purchased by the former TDP regime that were not delivered to beneficiaries.

He assured that future teacher transfers would be conducted transparently and committed to reviving all facilities provided by the previous TDP government. Lokesh instructed officials to formulate effective plans for the proper utilization of central funds.