At the Teachers’ Day event in Hyderabad, Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy urged teachers in government schools to join students for lunch, emphasizing that this would help ensure the quality and safety of the meals served. He expressed concern about food poisoning incidents in state-run schools, despite increased government funding for meals and essential infrastructure.
Reddy, who also oversees the education department, shared that he plans to personally visit schools and have meals alongside students. He suggested that teachers dining with students would promote better standards in food preparation and accountability.
In addition, the Chief Minister invited teachers to communicate any needs they have for improving food quality or other school facilities. He announced a plan to send roughly 200 teachers annually to countries like Singapore and South Korea to study global best practices in education, noting that high-quality education has driven development in nations such as Singapore and Japan.
Highlighting that around 24 lakh students attend approximately 27,000 government schools compared to 34 lakh in 11,000 private schools, Reddy pointed out that teachers in government schools often hold better academic qualifications. He also shared that the state allocates ₹130 crore each year for school maintenance and includes women’s Self Help Groups in these efforts. Enrollment trends are improving, with three lakh additional students joining government schools this year, a development Reddy praised educators for helping achieve.
A committee—including former Rajya Sabha member K. Keshav Rao, MLA Kadiam Srihari, and government officials—has been formed to draft a new education policy for Telangana. Drawing on the example of former Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, he noted how effective educational reforms, particularly those reaching underprivileged communities, can win public support and spur political success.
Reddy candidly acknowledged his political motivations, saying he has “some selfishness” and that effective school outcomes could bolster his chances for a second or even third term. He appealed to teachers to deliver quality education, especially to children from economically weaker backgrounds, saying that “education alone can change destiny” in the absence of land redistribution.
In a subtle dig at the previous BRS administration, he wondered whether Teachers’ Day had ever been celebrated or observed by the former CM after the creation of Telangana in 2014.
