AP Education department directs officials to complete second phase of mapping govt. schools by January 22

The school education department has issued a circular to district education officials and regional directors to complete the second phase of mapping of public schools by the 22nd of this month. It is a known fact that the government is introducing Foundation‌ education system in school education as per the new education policy. As part of this, grades 3, 4 and 5 in elementary schools are being added to nearby high schools. The Department of School Education has recently directed that the mapping of schools within a range of one kilometer be completed in the first phase followed by mapping of schools within a range of 2 km, 3 km and beyond.

It suggested to exercise on alternatives on the details of schools, number of students, teachers, infrastructure details. The government said that the primary and upper primary schools should be mapped by the headmaster login of the nearest high school and asked to note down the reasons why mapping is not possible due to natural barriers. It is said that any school can be considered to map the government, MPP, ZPP, Municipal and Tribal Welfare Departments.

It said that the distance should be viewed on the basis of actual road connectivity and not on the basis of straight lines or aerial view. Urdu, Oriya, Tamil and Kannada medium schools should be mapped to the same medium schools. If there are two high schools at equal distances, they should choose the ones with more infrastructure. Upper primary schools in areas where there are no high schools within a three-kilometer radius should be upgraded following the infrastructure. However, the special guidelines for teachers will be released later.

The school education department has said that steps should be taken to have single-medium schools by 2024–25. The next academic year 2022–23 will have only dual-medium in grades 9 and 10. It has been clarified that in 2023–24 there should be dual medium only in the tenth. The staff pattern of the subject teachers in the respective schools is also included in this circular.