Lokesh keen on setting up one Junior college in every mandal

Vijayawada: Stating that the TDP-led NDA government is very keen on improving the academic standards at all the junior colleges in the state, minister for education, IT and electronics Nara Lokesh directed the officials on Tuesday to formulate plans for establishing one junior college for every mandal in the state.

Chairing a review on Inter education, Lokesh told the officials of the Board of Intermediate Education to focus on the learning outcome of the students of Intermediate colleges. Steps should be taken to see to it that the pass percentage in all the government junior colleges is on a par with the private institutes, Lokesh said.

The Minister for Education said that the officials should also focus on publishing in newspapers the photos of the talented students of government junior colleges who secure admissions in IITs and medicine. Lokesh is also keen that those who are planning to establish junior colleges in remote areas in the State get permission very fast.

The officers informed the minister that the admissions in government junior colleges for the ongoing academic year have gone up by 15,000 due to the free supply of textbooks. Lokesh told the officers to take steps to increase the admissions to two lakh by the next academic year.

The officials also informed the minister that besides increasing the working hours of junior colleges in the state, periodical reviews are being conducted on the attendance. He felt that training in bridge courses be imparted to the students by the best teachers.

He said that NCERT books will be introduced in the first year Intermediate from the next academic year besides making amendments to the question papers. The secretary of school education, Kona Sasidhar, its director, Vijayarama Raju, the director of the Board of Intermediate Education, Krithika Shukla, the state project director of Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan, B Srinivasa Rao, and others were present.