VIJAYAWADA: Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan said education must go beyond marks and employment and focus on shaping students into responsible and creative citizens who contribute to the nation. He emphasised that sustained coordination between parents and teachers is essential to instil positive values and discipline among students.
Addressing the Mega Parents-Teachers Meeting at Sharada Zilla Parishad High School, Chilakaluripet, the Deputy CM said the State government’s initiative, taken up under the leadership of IT and Human Resources Development Minister Nara Lokesh, was yielding encouraging results. The programme helps parents and teachers better understand students’ strengths and weaknesses and guide them effectively, he noted.
He urged teachers to move away from an approach that seeks only to produce salaried employees and instead nurture creativity, innovation, and social responsibility. He also called for adopting best practices on the lines of the Kerala education model, with continuous engagement among students, parents, and teachers.
He cautioned against the growing menace of ganja and narcotics, calling for collective efforts by parents, teachers, and society to curb substance abuse. He said the coalition government is taking the issue seriously.
Referring to the Indian tradition of revering teachers, he said educators shape not just academic outcomes but the character and future of students.
Expressing concern over the lack of playgrounds in schools, he said it was regrettable that children are being deprived of open spaces even as public land is increasingly encroached upon. He said he had personally purchased land to provide a playground to a school(Mysuravaripalli) during a recent visit, and asked officials to prepare plans for acquiring land for sports facilities at Sharada School.
Pawan Kalyan further announced support for strengthening the Sharada ZP school library with Telugu, English, and Hindi books, along with cupboards for storage, and the provision of 25 computers. He encouraged students to read widely, including biographies and personality development books. He also advocated setting up group libraries to promote reading habits.
MLA Pattipati Pullarao, Panchayatraj Commissioner Krishna Teja and others attended.