Hyderabad (Telangana) [India], September 17 : Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy on Wednesday emphasised that the new Telangana Education Policy (TEP), which is being designed to suit the ground reality, studies, and future needs, should be a beacon of the country's education in the future.
Observing that the current education system was not providing the three important elements of language, basic knowledge and skills, the Chief Minister asserted that the new education policy should deliver all three basic requirements to the students to compete with the world.
Speaking at a meeting on the formulation of the Telangana Education Policy report, the CM said that the government has decided to overhaul the entire education sector in the state.
The Chief Minister stated that the only effective way to eradicate poverty is to provide quality education to the needy.
Recalling that the first Prime Minister of India, Jawaharlal Nehru, "recognised the importance of education and established higher educational institutions like universities and IITs in the country", CM Revanth Reddy expressed concern that the existing education system was not generating talented persons to grab the opportunities created in the country and across the world after the introduction of the economic liberalisation policies.
The CM noted that a large number of our youth are excelling in the software sector due to the advent of engineering colleges.
"However, not more than 10 per cent of the lakhs of passed-out engineers were getting jobs. The main reason is a lack of sufficient skills," he said. The Chief Minister said that, in addition to increasing skills in the particular sector, there is also a need to completely reform the education sector so that opportunities are created in other sectors.
Explaining the present poor education system, CM Revanth Reddy said that despite allocating huge funds to the education sector, the number of students in government schools is decreasing day by day.
"Private schools are offering education from Nursery, LKG and UKG, and the government schools start from Class One only. Those who joined their children in private schools for Nursery are not ready to shift to the government schools. Parents are admitting their children to private schools because the students are given adequate attention," CM Reddy said.
The CM said that parents will admit their children in government schools if the same atmosphere and attention to students is created in the private institutions, and this aspect should be taken into consideration while formulating the Telangana education policy.
The Chief Minister also reminded that the state government recruited teachers soon after coming to power to maintain a healthy balance between the number of teachers and students in government schools.
Promotions and transfer of teachers were also taken up to ensure the teaching staff focus on delivering quality education to the students.