AP aims to draw 2 lakh students from private to govt schools next year, says Lokesh

Vijayawada: Andhra Pradesh education, IT and electronics minister Nara Lokesh on Monday set a target of bringing two lakh students from private to government schools next academic year, saying the state’s education reforms have begun yielding results and that government schools are increasingly competing with private institutions.Addressing the Shining Stars awards ceremony in Tadepalli, where the state honoured toppers of the 2025-26 SSC and Intermediate public examinations, Lokesh said over 1.06 lakh students had already shifted from private to government schools this year and expressed confidence that the number would nearly double next year.“Our goal is that the entire country should speak about the AP model of school education. The Shining Stars are the brand ambassadors of our government schools,” he said.The government honoured 55 SSC toppers with Rs 30,000 each, medals and certificates, while 61 Intermediate toppers received laptops and medals.Lokesh said the government had introduced a series of reforms over the last two years by focusing on students rather than infrastructure alone. He listed initiatives such as the One Class-One Teacher model, curriculum reforms, teacher training, the LEAP learning platform, clicker technology, AI-based learning tools, upgraded student kits and improvements to the mid-day meal scheme.

He also announced plans to introduce AI tutors and expand centralised kitchens across the state.According to the minister, the SSC pass percentage in government schools increased from 72.8% to 78.39% following the reforms. He said demand for admissions had risen to the extent that some government schools were beginning to display “No Admission” boards.Award-winning students and their parents credited teachers, government welfare measures and academic support for their success. Many said initiatives such as the 100-day action plan, improved mid-day meals, free textbooks and student kits had strengthened learning in government schools. Several students said they were proud to receive the awards from the minister and aspired to become doctors, IAS officers and chartered accountants, while parents said government schools were shedding their earlier image and increasingly matching private institutions in quality.The awardees also urged the government to continue the Shining Stars programme every year, saying the recognition motivates students and boosts confidence in the public education system.