Vizianagaram: Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Tuesday said that the National Education Policy (NEP) is beginning to show encouraging results among students, highlighting its role in improving the quality of education and strengthening government schools across the country.
During his visit to the PM SHRI AP Model School in Bhogapuram, located in Andhra Pradesh's Vizianagaram district, Pradhan praised the state's efforts to improve public education and attract students back to government-run institutions. He also commended the initiatives undertaken by the state government to enhance learning outcomes and modernise school education.
According to media reports, During his visit, the Union Minister appreciated the work being carried out by the Andhra Pradesh government in the education sector. He said, "Today, I came to visit this great school, AP Model School. I was accompanied by my dear friend, the Minister, Nara Lokesh. I congratulate the Andhra Pradesh Government, Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu and especially our young and dynamic Education Minister, Nara Lokesh. Recently, through the focused initiatives of the Education Department, students from private schools have started returning to government schools. This is the very motto of our National Education Policy (NEP). Government schools should be more empowered."
Pradhan noted that the return of students to government schools reflects the broader objectives of the National Education Policy, which seeks to improve the quality and accessibility of public education across India.
The education minister also described PM SHRI Schools as a key initiative designed to transform school education by promoting innovation, scientific thinking, and holistic development.
Speaking about the programme, he said, "Fortunately, this is a PM SHRI school, and the PM SHRI initiative is a very successful model envisioned by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to foster a scientific temper and ensure the holistic, multi-dimensional development of students...The NEP has started creating a positive impact among students. Andhra Pradesh is doing well, and based on my experience here today, we will plan something even more innovative in the future...Overall, they are promoting multi-level, multi-dimensional personality development, and they are doing an excellent job in this regard. Andhra Pradesh is performing well in both school education and higher education."
He added that the experience gained from the visit could help shape future education initiatives aimed at improving learning environments across the country.
Pradhan stressed that improving school education is essential if India is to achieve its long-term goal of becoming a developed nation by 2047. He said the National Education Policy places significant emphasis on integrating technology into classrooms to make learning more effective and engaging.
He stated, "The National Education Policy recommends embedding technology extensively into the learning process, and this is a practical example of how that can be implemented effectively in classrooms."
The Union Minister further expressed confidence that PM SHRI Schools would serve as model institutions for states across India. He said, "PM SHRI schools are going to become exemplar schools for all the states. Around 15,000 schools are already functioning across different parts of the country, and many more schools are being envisioned by the respective state governments. If India is to become a developed nation by 2047, school education must remain our highest priority. Today, there is a strong consensus among society, state governments, and the Union Government that we must give the highest priority to strengthening school education."
Pradhan's visit underscored the Centre's continued focus on implementing the National Education Policy and expanding the PM SHRI initiative to strengthen government schools and improve educational standards nationwide.
