At a time the state is witnessing an alarming rise in the number of corona virus cases, Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy held a high-level meeting at the Tadepalli camp office to review Nadu-Nedu programme
On Saturday, the state reported 61 new positive cases of corona, the tally crossed the 1,000 mark, 31 died till now. Srikakulam, which until yesterday remained unaffected by the deadly virus and declared as a green zone, reported three positive cases in Sida and Kuravada villages of the district. All the three cases were linked to Tablighi Jamaat religious congregation in South Delhi’s Nizamuddin Markaz Mosque.
Instead of overseeing the facilities at the hospitals and ramp up the testing in the state, Jagan Mohan Reddy held a high-level meeting attended by Education Minister A Suresh, health minister Alla Nani, special principal secretary (health) Jawahar Reddy among others to review the progress of Nadu-Nedu programme. The Chief Minister has instructed the officials to focus on Nadu-Nedu (Then and Now in English) programme and asked them to speed up the works. The Chief Minister enquired the progress of Nada-Nedu works and examined the school uniforms and school bags for the students. Chief Minister instructed the officials concerned to ensure that all amenities are place by June when the academic year begins. Jagan also instructed officials of departments concerned to invite tenders for infrastructure works under the ‘Nadu-Nedu’ programme in the first week of June and to identify land for the construction of new medical colleges.
Addressing mediapersons after the high-level meeting, Education Minister A Suresh stated the Jagan government will accord top priority to the Nadu-Nedu programme. He said works on improving infrastructure of 15,715 schools under the first phase of the programme have already kick-started. The first phase of the Nadu-Nedu programme is estimated to cost about Rs 1,500 crore. Under the scheme, the government plans to spend nearly Rs 12,000 crore to develop infrastructure and facilities in around 45,000 schools. The Education Minister said Jagan has instructed officials of departments concerned to invite tenders for infrastructure works under the ‘Nadu-Nedu’ programme in the first week of June and to identify land for the construction of hostels, schools, medical colleges.
As part of the ‘Nadu-Nedu’ programme, the state government seems to go ahead with its policy of implementing English medium of instruction in all government schools despite the High Court scrapping a GO and criticism from various quarters. The Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly had on 23 January ratified the Andhra Pradesh School Education Regulatory and Monitoring Commission (Amendment) Bill 2019. The government passed a GO to implement English medium from classes 1 to 6 in state-run schools and gradually extend to each further class from the next consequent academic years, but the GO was struck down by the High Court terming it illegal and violative of the constitutional rights.
The GO was challenged by petitioners, Sudheesh Rambhotla and Guntupalli Srinivas. They arguged that the GO was ultra vires of the provisions of Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009 and violative of Articles 14, 21 and 21-A of the Constitution.
