CM Naidu Pushes Kalalaku Rekkalu Scheme for Overseas Education

Visakhapatnam: Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to supporting the students pursuing higher education and overseas studies.

He said, Kalalaku Rekkalu, the Wings for Dreams scheme, would be launched to help students who aspire to study abroad. “They would be getting loans at a flat interest rate. No young person will have to abandon his or her ambition for higher studies due to lack of financial support.”

On Friday, as part of the mega parent–teacher meeting initiative, the CM visited the Parvathipuram Manyam district and participated in the event held at the AP Model High School in Bhamini village, Palakonda constituency. He interacted with parents, teachers and students, inspected the school’s laboratories and observed classroom teaching through the clicker-based learning system.

Naidu announced that a students innovators partnership summit would be held in January, encouraging children to “begin thinking creatively” from the seventh grade. Students with innovative ideas would first be identified at the district level and later they would be allowed to present such ideas at a state-level conference in the presence of leading industrialists. “Promising ideas will be recognised and rewarded,” the CM said.

The state’s education system, he said, is on the brink of transformative change and called for cooperation from all sides. He recalled minister Lokesh’s goal of making AP’s school education the best in the country within the next three years.

Naidu stated that, in order to understand learning patterns better, students have been grouped into three categories -- Sky, Mountain, and Steam. The clicker system is helping teachers track progress continuously.

Naidu stated, “Children are like rubies in the soil, capable of shining with the proper guidance.” He cited the example of blind cricketer Karuna Kumari, who studied in a government school and went on to win the blind women’s cricket world cup.

The CM said the government was giving top priority to education and constantly gathering feedback, which led to the introduction of the mega PTM system. The government schools currently have 18 students per teacher, compared to 25 in private schools, reflecting the strength of the public education system.

The government, he said, has recruited a large number of teachers and aims to create an environment where parents prefer government schools. “I know how teachers were once humiliated by being made to stand near liquor shops.”

The Chief Minister stressed that respecting teachers was a shared responsibility. AP, he said, must reclaim its position as the number- one state in education.

He said, “Children, once considered a burden, are now recognised as assets and the future of society. Improvements have been effected in mid-day meals, with the Dokka Seethamma meals scheme.

“Unnecessary apps once imposed on teachers have been removed. Saturdays have been declared no-bag days to encourage learning through play and creativity. Excellence does not depend on studying round the clock; even short, focused learning can yield strong results.”

Naidu also noted that AP is studying global learning practices and sending teachers abroad for training.

Reflecting on his personal life, Naidu said he never monitored his son Lokesh’s schooling, as Nara Bhuvaneswari took the full responsibility. “Lokesh chose politics on his own and accepted the challenge of improving the education sector.”

The CM congratulated his son on effectively managing the education ministry and said, “It is now Lokesh’s responsibility to help AP’s students reach global standards.”

Naidu called upon students to take up anti-drug awareness as a social responsibility.

After the meeting, the Chief Minister and Lokesh sat with students for lunch along with MLA Nimmaka Jayakrishna, senior education officials, and the district collector.