Ongole: MLAs, MLCs advise officials on mapping of schools

Ongole: The MLAs and MLCs advised the officials concerned to consider the ground-level conditions and go ahead after taking advice from the local public representatives, at an orientation programme.

Minister for Energy, Environment, Forests, Science and Technology Balineni Srinivasa Reddy, District Collector Pravin Kumar, ZP Chairperson Buchepalli Venkayamma and the MLAs and MLCs from the district participated in an orientation programme on Nadu- Nedu Academic Mapping of Schools, held by the education department at the Collectorate in Ongole on Thursday.

Speaking at the programme, Minister Srinivasa Reddy said that the State government is bringing revolutionary reforms for the golden future of students. He advised the officials to work with the motto to provide better education to students and ensure they face any inconvenience. He asked the officials to submit the report on the mapping of schools by studying the ground-level conditions.

School Education RJD VS Subbarao explained to the MLAs, MLCs and other officials that they were merging the class III, IV and V in primary schools into high schools within a perimeter of three kilometres to it. He said that by merging, the subject experts will teach the class III, IV and V students so that their standards will increase. He assured that they are not closing any schools and are also exempting schools with hindrances like crossing railway tracks, canals and national highways. He informed them that the suggestions and advice will be considered in the implementation of the mapping of schools.

MLC Thumati Madhavarao advised the officials to increase the number of classrooms in the schools as the number of admissions increased in them.

MLA Manugunta Mahidhar Reddy advised them if they cannot construct new classrooms due to various reasons, they should rethink shifting the classes to high schools.

He asked them to conduct mandal level orientation programmes to understand the ground-level conditions before going ahead.

MLA Anna Rambabu asked the government to provide training to the teachers also as they should do the teaching in English medium now, to keep the standards high.

MLA Burra Madhusudan Yadav asked the officials to consider if the distance can be reduced to 1.5 kilometres, as it will be hard on part of children of 8 to 10 years old to travel 3 kilometres for school. If they should continue with the plan, he advised the government to consider providing transportation to the students.

MLC Pothula Suneetha, MLAs Maddisetty Venugopal, TJR Sudhakar Babu, Kundurru Nagarjuna Reddy also advised the officials to consider local situations, educate parents before mapping the schools and see no dropout is reported.

Collector Pravin Kumar announced that providing quality education is the priority of the government, and they will conduct awareness programmes at the village level also, before sending the proposals to the government.

DEO Vijay Bhaskar, Ongole MGangada Sujatha, deputy DEOs, and other officials also participated in the meeting.