Kakinada, September 20: Andhra Pradesh education system can become the country’s No. 1 model if government efforts are strengthened with moral values, Andhra Pradesh Education and IT Minister Nara Lokesh said on Sunday. Speaking at the ‘Bharatiyam’ programme organised at the Akundi Lakshmi Memorial Gosala in Thimmapuram, Kakinada Rural, he stressed the importance of combining modern technology with Indian values.
Lokesh said 1.10 lakh students had moved from private schools to government schools during the current academic year and that Intermediate admissions had also increased by 10,000, according to his remarks. He attributed the progress to the combined efforts of students, parents and teachers. Similar enrolment figures have been reported earlier by the School Education Department.
The minister said education should not be limited to academic achievement and that schools should also help students develop discipline, patriotism, responsibility and respect for others.
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‘Social Change Starts in the Classroom’
Lokesh said he chose the Education Department because he believes social transformation can begin in the classroom.
He said the government was giving greater importance to value-based education with the guidance of spiritual speaker Chaganti Koteswara Rao, who has been appointed as an adviser on moral values. Lokesh said books prepared by Chaganti were being provided to students.
He emphasised teaching children from an early age to respect elders and women and to accept both success and failure with balance. According to Lokesh, the early years of childhood are particularly important for developing values and personality.
Referring to his own education at Carnegie Mellon University and Stanford University, Lokesh said he experienced a high level of discipline during his studies and expressed the view that similar discipline should be encouraged among students in India.
He also urged students not to take extreme decisions because of poor marks or temporary setbacks. Referring to a recent case involving a Class X student who died by suicide after participating in a school programme, he appealed to students facing difficulties to speak to their teachers, parents or trusted adults rather than keeping their problems to themselves.
‘Keep Politics Away From Schools’
Lokesh said he had taken the decision to keep political influence away from schools after assuming charge of the Education Department.
He said school uniforms, books, bags, belts and shoes should not carry political party colours and claimed that photographs of the Chief Minister or himself had not been printed on school-related materials.
The minister also highlighted the government’s efforts to improve government schools and said the objective was to restore public confidence in them. He pointed to the increase in admissions from private schools as one indication of the response to the reforms.
Lokesh said technology and artificial intelligence could transform education, but argued that technological progress should be accompanied by ethical values.
“AI and robotics” should be combined with Indian values so that students can become successful global citizens, he said. He illustrated the point by comparing atomic energy, which can be used for peaceful purposes as well as destruction, with the need to ensure that technological capability is guided by responsible thinking.
Students Urged to Learn From National Heroes
The minister asked students to draw inspiration from people who sacrificed their lives for the country. He referred to freedom fighter Tanguturi Prakasam Pantulu and Potti Sriramulu as examples of courage and sacrifice.
He also described soldiers as the country’s real heroes and referred to Kargil war veteran D. Kiran Kumar and Army jawan Murali Naik as examples of dedication to the nation.
Lokesh urged students to respect members of the armed forces and remember the sacrifices made by soldiers to protect the country.
He also spoke about his own political journey, recalling his defeat in the 2019 elections and his subsequent victory from Mangalagiri in 2024. He said failure should be viewed as a “First Attempt In Learning” and stressed that there are no shortcuts to success.
Addressing students, Lokesh said they should work hard in whichever field they choose, whether education, sports or the arts, and make their parents proud.
He concluded by urging students to uphold patriotism, devotion, respect for elders and women, and responsibility towards society. He said the goals of a developed India and a prosperous Andhra Pradesh could be achieved through the efforts of the younger generation.
