KCR for UK-type school system

• Considers the common school system
• Mulls common service rules for teachers
• To hold extensive consultations
• Free education from KG to PG in phases from 2015

Hyderabad: The Telangana government has decided to revamp the education system in the state and adopt the system of common school system akin to the one that is in vogue in England.

TS Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao gave an indication of this during a review meeting he had with the officials on Saturday. The officials were asked to work out a detailed action plan which will be discussed with 16 associations representing the teachers, legislators etc.

According to official sources, KCR is of the opinion that the common school system is necessary to implement the promise of free KG-to-PG education which was promised by the TRS party during the elections.

Reiterating his commitment to implement the electoral promise, KCR is said to have asked the officials to consult experts in education, teachers, professors and others before working out the guidelines. It is learnt that the government wants to introduce the KG to PG system in a phased manner. It will be launched with Class 1 to begin with, from the next academic year and would take about 12 years to implement the scheme up to PG level. By that time the entire state will have common school system, the Chief Minister is understood to have said.

KCR also wanted that the Anganwadi schools should be converted into play schools and all teachers should have common service rules. The common school system makes education compulsory in England for all children between 5 and 17 years of age. Some 93 per cent of children between the ages of 3 and 18 are in education in state-funded schools without charge (other than for activities such as swimming, theatre visits and field trips for which a voluntary payment can be requested).

The local authority employs the schools' staff, owns the schools' lands and buildings, and has primary responsibility for admissions.