Lokesh warns Govt over 'loss of an academic year'

TDP for legal fight till 10th, Inter exams are cancelled

Education Minister trnsformed into Confusion Minister

Pre-election 'Maternal Uncle' turned into power-crazy 'Mental Uncle'

Turmoil among students and parents under Jagan regime

AMARAVATI (prajaamaravati): TDP National General Secretary and MLC Nara Lokesh on Wednesday warned of dire consequences if the 10th and Intermediate students of Andhra Pradesh lost a full academic year because of the 'imprudent' and 'irresponsible' decisions of the Jaganmohan Reddy Government.

Mr. Lokesh asserted that their party would not keep silent and it would start one more legal struggle to save the academic year of the students under any circumstances. With his confusing statements, the Education Minister was creating turmoil and uncertainty with regard to the conduct of the exams.

Addressing a virtual meeting with experts on 'Government's thoughtless decisions and loss of an academic year', Mr. Nara Lokesh demanded the Jagan Reddy regime to remove uncertainties on the exams. Minister Suresh made mutually contradictory statements that the exams would be held in July and there would be one more postponment if the exams could not be held.

Mr. Lokesh said that going by the Government's decisions, it would take at least October to complete the exams and announce results. One more month would take for taking up admissions for next academic year. Then, just four months would be left for the students to complete one year's syllabus in just a quarter. It was perplexing why the ruling YSRCP was not considering the concerns of the students at all.

Condemning the Government's reckless attitude, Mr. Lokesh recalled how all States in India except AP and Assam have cancelled exams. The CBSE and the ICSE exams have already been cancelled all over the country. In Telangana, they were giving admissions into undergraduate courses solely based on Eamcet peformance by removing weightage to Inter marks. But the AP rulers were making false excuses instead of finding such solutions to protect the students' interests.

Mr. Nara Lokesh recalled how Mr. Jaganmohan Reddy raised expectations and held out an assurance at the time of elections to take care of the students' needs like their own 'Maternal Uncle' if voted to power. But after becoming the Chief Minister, Mr. Jagan has turned into a 'Mental Uncle' without the least concern for the well being and future of the innocent children. Even the Education Minister, who should act like a guiding light for the young generation, transformed into a 'Confusion Minister' bent on spoiling the golden chances of the students.

Mr. Lokesh expressed concern over the Coronavirus situation in AP as the number of cases reported so far stood at 18.20 lakh. The official death toll was given as 12,052 of them there were over 600 teachers. The Covid positivity rate stood at 6 percent which reached 25 percent at one time in the past in the State. Vaccination was going on at a snail's pace. Second dose was not given till now. Vaccination of children was not taken up at all.

Referring to reports in the national media, Mr. Lokesh pointed out how alarming stories appeared about five times more deaths were reported in May this year in AP when compared to the corresponding period last year. As pert the Niti Ayog reports, AP position went down from 3rd to 19th place in educational standards beause of the poor quality standards maintained by the YSRCP regime.

Mr. Lokesh expressed concern over the vulnerability of the children in the coming weeks if they were exposed to crowd based events like the exams. Over 4,200 children succumbed to Covid in East Godavari district and 3,000 children succumbed in the Chittoor district. The Task Force reports also indicated the possibility of over 5 lakh children falling ill with the virus in AP. While such were the alarming reports, Mr. Jagan Reddy was turning a blind eye and still purusing his stubborn policies.