Naidu for overhauling edn to make students future-ready

Amaravati: Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu on Saturday called for radical changes in the education system to prepare students for the future, while underlining that teachers would remain indispensable despite the advent of Artificial Intelligence.

Addressing the state-level Teachers’ Day celebrations in Vijayawada, Naidu said courses from school education to higher education should be restructured to keep pace with technology. Students should be exposed to AI, quantum technology, robotics, and data analytics, while teachers should foster values, culture, patriotism, leadership, and love for nature among students.

Chandrababu said education should go beyond theory through practical, real-world learning, and should be aligned with industry requirements. He recalled that foresight in embracing the IT revolution had helped Telugu people move to the forefront and surmised that India would undergo major transformation over the next 10 to 15 years.

The Chief Minister urged teachers to turn their schools into unique brands and ensure every school-age child attends school. He called for innovation, creativity, and resilience among students and said even 8th class students should be trained in AI.

The government, he said, was introducing technologies such as clickers and AI tutors and aimed to achieve 100 per cent literacy by 2027. Andhra Pradesh should aspire to become the country’s number one State by 2047, he said, adding that the foundation must be laid in schools.

On teacher recruitment, Chandrababu said the NDA alliance government’s first official act was signing the Mega DSC order. Despite more than 350 petitions allegedly filed by YSRCP leaders to obstruct recruitment, the process was completed.

Counselling was introduced to prioritise merit in placements, along with a special law, while 33 per cent reservation was provided for women in teaching.

Chandrababu said technology and social media had created new challenges for teachers and urged them to act wisely.

Referring to recent incidents in the Telugu States, including the killing of a principal by two 10th class students, a boy allegedly murdering his mother in Vizianagaram and the death of a six-year-old boy in Visakhapatnam after being struck by a teacher, he said teaching had become more challenging. He suggested spirituality, yoga and meditation to address such concerns.

The Chief Minister said salaries were now being paid on the first of every month and criticised the previous administration over teachers being made to stand in liquor-shop queues.

Chandrababu and IT and HRD minister Nara Lokesh honoured 175 Best Teachers. They personally came down from the dais to honour differently-abled teacher M Padmanabham and presented him with a certificate.

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