Vijayawada: Minister for IT and HRD Nara Lokesh on Monday said the state government’s goal is to ensure one teacher for every class in government schools. Replying during Question Hour in Assembly on Monday, Lokesh explained that under the Mana Badi–Mana Puja programme, teachers are being recruited and classrooms are being built in proportion to student strength. He added that donor support was being sought for school construction and assured that the names of donors would be inscribed on the buildings. He said his target is to fill seats in government schools and reach a point where ‘no-admission’ boards must be put up. “We already see such a situation in about 100 schools across the State,” he said, assuring Narasaraopet MLA Chadalawada Aravinda Babu that a solution would soon be found to the merger of primary and upper primary schools.

Aravinda Babu had earlier raised concerns that during the YSRCP’s rule, many primary schools were merged with upper primary schools under GO 117, causing hardship to children. He urged the minister to roll back the merger and safeguard children’s education. Responding to a separate query from MLA Mandali Buddha Prasad, Lokesh said that Andhra Pradesh would have a world-class Central Library within 24 months, with support from Shobha Developers, which has committed Rs 100 crore.