Andhra Pradesh Teachers’ Association (APTF) leaders have raised concerns about the government’s proposed school restructuring program as part of reforms in the education sector.
The association’s executive committee, which met in virtual mode on Sunday, took decisions after discussing important issues.
The heads of state and government called for the proposed preschool classes to be linked to elementary schools and for Anganwadi workers to receive adequate training before these new facilities are set up. Trained teachers should be employed for the preparatory class for children over the age of five.
They reiterated their request to abandon the proposed division of primary classes, saying that it would be against the provisions of the Right to Education Act for children in grades 1 to 5 to travel more than 1 km away.
They said higher elementary schools with 75 students in grades 6, 7 and 8 should be upgraded to high schools. Elementary schools should continue to have Telugu as the language of instruction and in secondary schools students should be given the freedom to choose the medium of instruction. Plus-Zwei-Bildung should be included in grammar schools with a strength of 400 students in grades 6 to 10 and provide for a headmaster position in every elementary school.
They also called for immediate action to be taken to fill the vacant teaching positions and to involve teachers unions, intellectuals, educators and MLCs in discussions about the government’s proposed changes in school education.