State aims to enhance public education quality above private sector: Minister Lokesh
PARVATHIPURAM: The state education minister, Nara Lokesh, announced comprehensive reforms to elevate govt education standards beyond private institutions. He expressed optimism about achieving significant progress within four years.
At the Shining Stars Awards 2025 on Monday, Minister Lokesh honoured 95 tenth-grade and 26 intermediate high achievers. He outlined a 100-day action strategy for improved outcomes, highlighting initiatives like providing books and midday meals in govt junior colleges. He stressed his commitment to nurturing AP's young talents, encouraging future govt school graduates to return and inspire younger students.
He said the AP govt's goal is to showcase the AP model to the world in the next two years by achieving number one in all fields. The govt is focusing on libraries at village, mandal, and constituency levels and setting up regional libraries. Steps are being taken to establish a world-class library in Amaravati. Students should focus not only on education but also on sports, NCC, and yoga. Minister Lokesh announced that cash incentives and laptops will be provided to students who secure seats in higher educational institutions, just like before.
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He said govt will encourage students secure seats in IITs and NITs.
Addressing the tenth-grade students, he emphasised that life presents the real challenge ahead. He cited Chief Minister Chandrababu's exemplary discipline at 75 years, maintaining remarkable energy through extensive programmes like the three-day Mahanadu.
"For college-bound students, life takes a new turn. One wrong choice can be detrimental.
Your conduct should honour your parents. The 'No to Drugs, Bro' campaign, initiated after witnessing a mother's distress in Chandragiri constituency during Yuvagalam Padayatra, demonstrates our govt's anti-drug stance. Poor decisions affect both you and your family," Lokesh advised.
He encouraged students to maintain humility whilst achieving success. Sharing his personal experience, he said, "I chose Mangalagiri, where TDP never succeeded, for elections.
Despite losing in 2019, I persevered for five years, achieving the third-highest majority statewide. I accepted the challenging education portfolio despite contrary advice."
AP aims to achieve complete literacy within four years through Mission Akshara Andhra, addressing its current low literacy ranking. The minister acknowledged India's strong response to terrorism under Modi's leadership, referencing AP's loss of Murali Nayak in Operation Sindoor.
The event concluded with students joining Lokesh in singing Vande Mataram.
Students Share Aspirations on Dream Wall
Students documented their ambitions on dedicated walls. G. Jithu aspires to become a software engineer, G. Jagadish aims for IAS, and C.H. Priyanka wants to teach. Bodela Jyotsna plans to contribute to infrastructure development as an engineer, R. Prajna aims to serve as a doctor, Vavilapalli Gayatri targets AI engineering, and Komarapu Gunashree wishes to innovate in software engineering.
Gratitude and Promises
Students expressed appreciation on the Gratitude Wall. K. Lokesh pledged to pursue doctorate studies and support his parents. Praharshini thanked Minister Lokesh and the college staff. Komarapu Gunashree acknowledged Chandrababu and Lokesh's encouragement. The minister assured continued support for students' aspirations.
The event was attended by state ministers Kinjarapu Atchannaidu, Gummadi Sandhya Rani, whip Toyaka Jagadeeshwari, MLAs Bonela Vijayachandra and Nimmaka Jayakrishna, Education Secretary Kona Shashidhar, Intermediate Education Director Krithika Shukla, College Education Director Narayana Bharat Gupta, MLC Vepada Chiranjeevi, Collector Shyam Prasad, ITDA PO Ashutosh Srivastava, and others.
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Hindustan Times
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[Video] getfittoday Undo ALSO READ: No holding, no swiping: California's tough no touch phone law for drivers, simplified Women Sent to Former Livestock Facility Following the strike, Iranian guards began transferring prisoners from the damaged facility, as per the report. Women were handcuffed and sent to Qarchak, a former livestock facility located 40 miles south of Tehran, according to The Telegraph report. The prison is already under US sanctions for its record of human rights violations, including torture and extrajudicial killings, as reported by The Telegraph. Live Events ALSO READ: Trump claims he spared Khamenei from an ugly death — now wants a thank you from Iran Prisoner Speaks Out From Inside Qarchak One of the women who was moved, Sayeh Seydal, is serving a three-year sentence for social media posts, which were considered unacceptable to the Iranian regime, and had been imprisoned at Evin since October 2024, managed to record a message, smuggled out of the country, describing the terrifying and dire conditions of Qarchak, according to the report. She said, 'The American and Israeli bombing didn't kill us, but the Islamic Republic has brought us to a place where it's practically killing us,' adding, 'They've brought us to a place where humans don't live. It's a gradual death,' as quoted by The Telegraph. Seydal said that she and other women were crammed into a quarantine ward with no privacy or sanitation, calling it "a real hellhole,' according to the report. She shared that, 'The toilets are like outdoor latrines. The showers? Like outdoor showers. The stench of filth has taken over everywhere. Even the water – the water you splash on your face – is salty. The food? It absolutely cannot be eaten. A terrible situation," as quoted in the report. Seydal pointed out that 'The Islamic Republic has brought us to a place where it seems they want to get revenge for Israel and America and just kill us off easily,' quoted The Telegraph. No Windows, No Clean Water, No Dignity Human rights groups have also highlighted the horrible condition of Qarchak, as it does not follow the prison standards, like there is no proper sewage system or access to clean water, as per the report. There are also no windows, and when the iron gates to outdoor areas close at 5pm, inmates stare at walls with only two small holes, 'the size of lentils,' for glimpses of the sky, as reported by The Telegraph. Medical Care is Almost Nonexistent Activists have also revealed that the detention centre is infested with cockroaches, rats, salamanders, lizards, water bugs and venomous tarantulas, according to the report. Qarchak's medical care is also very limited, as just five prisoners per ward are allowed daily medical visits, and while prison authorities claim budget constraints prevent the provision of essential medications, they freely distribute sleeping pills and tranquillisers to keep prisoners sedated, as reported by the Telegraph. FAQs Why were the women moved from Evin prison? After an Israeli airstrike hit Evin, authorities transferred prisoners for safety reasons, but women were sent to Qarchak, a far worse facility. What is Qarchak prison like? It used to be a livestock farm. Now, it's overcrowded, unsanitary, and infested with insects and rodents. Many say it's unfit for humans, as per the report.
