PNS|Vijayawada
Andhra Pradesh Education, IT and Electronics Minister Nara Lokesh lauded the transformative progress in the state’s education system, stating that the reforms introduced in government schools are now drawing national attention. Speaking at the “Shining Stars” event held at his Undavalli residence, he honoured 47 government school students who secured top ranks in the recently announced Class 10 board examination results.
Lokesh felicitated the achievers with medals, shawls, and a specially curated set of nine inspirational books authored by Indian and international thought leaders, including Bill Gates, Ratan Tata, Dr APJ Abdul Kalam, Indra Nooyi, and Yandamoori Veerendranath.
Expressing immense pride, Lokesh said the students had become brand ambassadors for Andhra Pradesh’s government education system. Despite facing financial challenges, their determination and success have helped restore public faith in government-run schools. He emphasised his vision to upgrade government institutions to compete with private ones and announced that top-performing students would be featured in promotional campaigns from next year.
Lokesh credited Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu as his inspiration for hard work and noted that he had deliberately chosen the challenging education portfolio to drive meaningful change. Recalling his political journey, he mentioned his 2019 electoral loss in Mangalagiri and how he returned with a landslide victory in 2024, underscoring the importance of perseverance.
“We are carrying out reforms despite obstacles. All the changes initiated since I assumed office will be completed by the end of June. Special focus has been placed on promoting girls’ education and ensuring balanced gender representation in textbooks,” Lokesh added, noting that free reimbursement schemes are now being implemented for higher and postgraduate education.
Education Secretary Kona Shashidhar described education as the most powerful tool to eradicate poverty and urged the students’ success to inspire future batches.
