Lokesh reviews school education, flags infrastructure gaps and dropouts

Vijayawada: Andhra Pradesh education minister Nara Lokesh on Wednesday said the state aims to build an education system that could serve as a national model, directing officials to ensure 100% enrolment, curb dropouts and upgrade infrastructure in government schools.At a review meeting with district education officers (DEOs) and senior officials, Lokesh said government schools must compete in an “open market” through improved quality and learning outcomes. He stressed implementation of a star-rating system to assess infrastructure, insisting that every school has leak-proof buildings, drinking water, toilets, benches, and proper upkeep.The minister said nearly one lakh of children had been identified as dropouts statewide and called for focused efforts to track both dropout and never-enrolled children, with a clear push towards full enrolment and prevention of child labour.

He also emphasised scaling up the Guaranteed Foundational Literacy and Numeracy (GFLN) programme as a mass movement and set a target to improve government school enrolment by at least 10%.Highlighting tech-driven reforms, Lokesh said clicker technology would be introduced for Class IX students, with Chromebooks planned, while the LEAP app would anchor school administration alongside upcoming AI-based learning tools and tutors.

Smart kitchens would be expanded statewide in two years, taking cues from successful district models.Reviewing districts, Lokesh underscored the need for focused, ground-level interventions. In Tirupati, he stressed infrastructure upgrades and improved school star ratings as the district reported strong SSC performance with a target to double high scorers. In Visakhapatnam, he flagged concern over a 12% dropout rate, asking officials to address urban admissions and migration-linked dropouts.In Krishna district, Lokesh pointed to high dropout pockets and low teacher enrolment in some mandals, urging field visits and stronger awareness on digital tools like the LEAP app. In Guntur, he noted weak foundational learning indicators and a majority of schools in low star categories, calling for urgent academic improvements.In Kadapa, the minister highlighted high dropout and never-enrolled figures in key towns, even as officials reported expansion of smart kitchens and intensified awareness drives.

In Srikakulam, he sought explanations for poor foundational outcomes despite reforms, even as the district showed significant improvement in SSC rankings.Lokesh also pushed structural reforms, asking teachers to focus on classroom instruction while administrators handle management duties. He highlighted plans to develop a government school in Nidamarru into an international-standard institution and directed officials to create at least one model school in every district.HRD secretary Kona Sasidhar said the education sector had seen significant reforms over the past two years and stressed the need to consolidate gains through continued monitoring and innovation. School education director Tameem Ansariya and other officials attended the meeting.