Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy announced on Thursday that his government is exploring the possibility of introducing pre-primary classes for underprivileged children, aiming to provide them with access to quality education.
Reddy made these remarks during the inauguration of the 'Young India' Police School in Hyderabad, which has been established for the children of police personnel. This initiative is intended to encourage these children to stay in government schools for their primary education rather than migrating to private institutions.
Reddy compared student enrollement in government and private schools
Telangana CM mentioned that there are currently 18.5 lakh students enrolled in 29,500 government schools across the state. In comparison, 36 lakh students are attending just 11,500 private schools. He further emphasised that the educational qualifications of teachers in government schools is better than those in private institutions.
Reflecting on the challenges faced by the government education system, he noted that government schools admit children into Class 1 only after the age of five, while private schools start enrolling students from the age of three. This creates difficulty in attracting children to government schools for Class 1, as many have already received pre-primary education in private institutions.
'Young India' is my brand: Telangana CM
After inaugurating the Young India Police School in Hyderabad, Telangana CM said the Skills University, Sports University, and Integrated Residential Schools being established in the state—each named 'Young India'—collectively constitute his "brand".
He further said this brand is being created in Telangana today with Mahatma Gandhi's inspiration. Gandhiji ran a journal named 'Young India' during the freedom movement, Reddy recalled, adding that it reflected "the voice of India.
"Analysts and well-wishers ask me whether I would go unnoticed as a chief minister without any brand. I would like to tell analysts, critics, and the people of the state—Young India is my brand," Reddy said.
(PTI inputs)