Only quality education will help eradicate poverty, says CM

‘Substantial funds being allocated to the sector to help children derive maximum benefit’

Chief Minister Y.S Jagan Mohan Reddy has said that the State government has allocated a substantial amount of money to education to enable the children to derive maximum benefit.

Addressing the students, teachers and academicians at a brainstorming session on Education at his camp office near here on Wednesday, Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy said education was the only possible investment one could make to lift a vast number of people out of poverty.

‘Revolutionary reforms’

“There is only one panacea to tide over poverty in the country, and that is to provide quality education. Our government has been implementing several schemes, and has brought in revolutionary changes in the sphere of education,” said Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy.

As part of the Nadu-Needu, the government decided to revamp 15,715 schools during 2019-20 and complete the works by July. The Jagananna Ammavodi scheme benefited 43 lakh mothers, 82 lakh students, and the government credited ₹6,350 crore directly into the accounts of the mothers.

Further, the government released fees reimbursement of ₹4,200 crore to the colleges till March 31, including arrears of ₹1,880 crore, he said.

Earlier, the Chief Minister launched a website that had details of all the educational institutions.

Beginning his address by referring to his padayatra covering all the 175 constituencies, Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy said that many students had told him that supply of textbooks was being delayed till October-November. The maids working in the mid-day meal scheme had complained of lack of sufficient support from the government, the Chief Minister recalled.

“It was then I decided to revamp the entire education system. We want to introduce English medium, and most of those who are opposing it are making their children study in the English medium. Many are asking me, as to why I am spending so much money on education. Look at the figures – in India only 25.8% of children are getting enrolled in schools, while it is 82% in Russia and 51% in Brazil. On the other hand, 74% of children in India are dropping out of school,” said the Chief Minister.