Naidu pitches for tech-driven overhaul of education system

Bhamini (Parvathipuram Manyam district): Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu on Thursday outlined an ambitious plan to remake the state’s education system into what he described as a national benchmark, with a sharper focus on technology integration, creative learning, and global best practices.

Speaking at a large parents-teachers interaction session at the AP Model School in Bhamini, he said the state intends to build an “innovation-centred academic ecosystem” capable of preparing students for an increasingly competitive world economy. Naidu announced that the government will host a Student Innovation Partnership Summit in the last week of January, bringing together industry leaders and student innovators. 

The state will present awards for top projects and extend financial assistance to students seeking overseas education through the Kalalaku Rekkalu programme, offering loans at 0.25 per cent interest.

The Chief Minister said India’s demographic advantage places an obligation on governments to cultivate talent early, adding that moral-values-based education would remain central to the state’s reforms. The government has appointed scholar Chaganti Koteswara Rao to guide value-based learning initiatives and promote what Naidu described as an “ethics-oriented society.”

He said the NDA government has already introduced 28 reforms in school education and 10 reforms at the Intermediate level, covering curriculum redesign, assessment methods, school infrastructure and teacher training. The Talliki Vandanam programme, under which mothers receive financial assistance for children’s education, has reached families extensively, he said, citing a case in which a woman received Rs 90,000 for her six children. He added that mid-day meal quality has improved and school kits are free of political branding. Government schools currently maintain a student-teacher ratio of 18:1, compared with 28:1 in private institutions, he said.

As part of its global benchmarking strategy, the state will send teachers to countries such as Finland to study high-performing education models. Naidu linked the wider reforms to the government’s economic agenda, noting that Andhra Pradesh’s per capita income stands at Rs 2.37 lakh, while agency regions such as Parvathipuram, Palakonda and Bhamini remain below the state average. Raising incomes in these regions, he said, is essential for inclusive growth.

Earlier, Naidu and HRD minister Nara Lokesh participated in a classroom demonstration featuring “classroom clickers,” a digital tool that provides real-time feedback on student comprehension. Both leaders also launched the state’s Foundational Literacy and Numeracy (FLN) programme. Naidu said Saturdays have been designated as “no-bag days” to encourage participation in sports and fine arts and noted that the government has recruited nearly 16,000 teachers under the Mega DSC. The Chief Minister said the government is considering a special legislation to strengthen protection for girl students, following a display of self-defence skills by schoolchildren.

Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan held a parallel parent-teacher meeting in Palnadu.