Govt schools on par with private schools in quality education: Telangana CM

TElangana chief regime minister A Revanth Reddy on midweek said his government was making all come out efforts to reconstruct confidence in public education and to dispel misconceptions about the quality of education in government educational institutions.Addressing a gathering after inaugurating the Telangana Public School at Arutla in Ranga Reddy district, the chief minister said education remains the most powerful tool for transforming lives and reducing social inequalities.“There are several misconceptions among parents regarding education in government schools. The Telangana Public School initiative has been launched to eliminate those doubts and demonstrate that government institutions can provide quality education on par with the best schools,” Revanth Reddy said.He called for a change in public perception towards government schools, saying studying in a public institution should no longer be viewed as a matter of embarrassment. “The notion that studying in a government school is something to be ashamed of must disappear. Many individuals who studied in government schools have gone on to become IAS and IPS officers, and even chief ministers,” he said.He said education had the power to bring about fundamental changes in people’s lives and create equal opportunities for all sections of society. “Quality education should be accessible to every child irrespective of social or economic background,” he said.The chief minister reiterated the government’s commitment to strengthening public education infrastructure and creating world-class learning environments through Telangana Public Schools, which are being developed with modern facilities, digital classrooms, sports infrastructure and English-medium instruction.He expressed confidence that the TPS model would help improve educational standards, attract more students to government schools and create future leaders, civil servants and professionals from diverse backgrounds.Revanth Reddy said the state government would establish Telangana Public schools, one in every assembly constituency. “The Telangana’s future does not lie in glass embellished palaces or colourful walls. We firmly believe it lies within the classrooms,” he said.The chief minister also interacted with students, teachers and school management committee members during his visit. He toured digital classrooms, science laboratories, the library, dining hall and sports facilities and shared breakfast with students.Reddy said the Telangana Public School model had been designed with state-of-the-art infrastructure and international standards to offer education from nursery to intermediate level. Along with academics, equal emphasis would be placed on sports, cultural activities and personality development.Students enrolled in TPS institutions will receive free transportation, breakfast, lunch and evening snacks, while instruction will be conducted entirely in English medium. The schools are equipped with digital classrooms, laboratories, libraries, modern teaching technologies and extensive sports infrastructure.Highlighting the government’s broader educational vision, Reddy said initiatives such as Young India Integrated Residential Schools and Young India Skills University were aimed at ensuring quality education and skill development for youth.Reddy also stressed the importance of sports in schools and said the government had established the Young India Sports University with the objective of producing Olympic medal winners. Sports training programmes have already been introduced in schools, he said, adding that Telangana was committed to creating world-class sporting talent.Recalling the football event featuring legendary footballer Lionel Messi in Hyderabad, the chief minister said the government had succeeded in promoting sports despite criticism from political opponents.The Telangana Public School initiative is being implemented on a pilot basis in four locations — Arutla and Manchala in Ranga Reddy district, and Vangur and Polkampalli in the erstwhile Mahabubnagar district. Based on the success of the pilot project, the government plans to establish 100 Telangana Public Schools across the state in a phased manner.The Arutla campus features digital classrooms, spacious playgrounds, science laboratories, a library, gymnasium, dining facilities and dedicated infrastructure for sports including cricket, football, volleyball, kho-kho, kabaddi, tennis and carrom. Specialised coaches have also been appointed to train students.To facilitate access, the government has deployed five school buses to transport students from Arutla and surrounding villages. Officials believe the initiative will encourage parents to shift their children from private schools to government institutions.At present, the school has enrolled 1,814 students, including 150 in pre-primary classes, 600 in primary education, 800 in high school and 264 students in intermediate courses. The overwhelming response from parents has already made the institution one of the most sought-after government schools in the state.