Teachers Must Lead Educational Transformation: Lokesh

Vijayawada: Calling teachers the ‘true leaders of social transformation’, education minister Nara Lokesh on Thursday urged educators to emerge as “change-makers” and help build an Andhra Pradesh Model of Education that can compete with global standards.

Addressing 37 outstanding teachers who recently returned from a study tour of Singapore, Lokesh said the state government viewed teachers as leaders and would extend special recognition to those who achieve exceptional results through dedication and hard work.

The interaction was held at his residence in Undavalli, where the teachers shared insights gained during the Singapore visit and discussed possibilities of AP adapting the best practices of the Singapore system.

Education commissioner Tameem Ansariya, SCERT director Venkata Krishna Reddy and other officials attended the meeting.

Lokesh said education was the most powerful instrument for bringing about societal change and explained that he had chosen to head the education portfolio with a commitment and determination to build a world-class education system.

He noted that the department would play a crucial role in achieving the state’s Swarna Andhra vision and in introducing advanced technologies such as Artificial Intelligence and Quantum Computing into mainstream education.

Recalling his own academic experience at Stanford University, Lokesh said exposure to students from more than 100 countries had helped him appreciate the value of sharing ideas, knowledge and cultures. He urged teachers trained abroad to take the lead in implementing innovative practices at school, cluster and mandal levels and to mentor fellow educators.

Emphasising the importance of the teacher-student-subject relationship, the minister said education reforms required patience and sustained effort. While the government had focused significantly on infrastructure, equal attention must now be paid to academic quality and learning outcomes, he said.

Highlighting the impact of recent reforms, Lokesh revealed that more than one lakh students had shifted from private schools to government schools this academic year. He described the trend as a strong endorsement of the public education system and asserted that government school teachers were second to none.

The entire country, he claimed, is discussing AP’s education reforms. “We should no longer compare ourselves with other states alone but compete with the best education systems in the world.”

Lokesh also pointed to the introduction of a Teacher Transfer Act, which ensured transparent promotions based on seniority and eliminated the scope for recommendations and lobbying.