Amaravati, August 23: Former Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh and YSR Congress Party President Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy has accused the state government of undermining education in government schools.
He stated that while the government claims an increase in admissions, it is actually benefiting private institutions by eroding the quality of public education.
Citing the Unified District Information System for Education Plus (UDISE Plus) report, he warned that the data for 2025-26 indicates a troubling trend for the state.
In a social media post, Reddy remarked, “The state government repeatedly claims that over 110,000 students have transitioned from private to government schools, portraying this as a growing public trust in government education. This aligns with their party’s tendency to make unfounded claims, which are often disproven by government data.”
He explained that if such a significant number of students were indeed enrolling in government schools, overall admissions should have increased, which has not happened. Presenting statistics, he noted, “Comparing UDISE Plus data from 2023-24 to 2025-26, admissions in government schools have dropped from 4,050,116 to 3,493,450, a decrease of 556,666 students. During this period, the number of government schools also fell from 45,000 to 44,222, while government-aided schools decreased from 991 to 797.”
He emphasized, “Notably, during the same timeframe, admissions in private management schools rose from 4,553,380 in 2023-24 to 4,840,296 in 2025-26. This clearly indicates a decline in government and aided school admissions, while private schools are thriving. It starkly reveals the deteriorating condition of government schools in Andhra Pradesh and the government’s misleading claims.”
Reddy alleged that institutions like Narayana, Sri Chaitanya, Bhashyam, and GITAM dominate the private education sector in Andhra Pradesh. He accused the Chandrababu Naidu government of having a deep and corrupt alliance with these institutions, intentionally weakening public education to promote private entities.
He pointed out that the data shows a concerning trend where quality education is becoming increasingly inaccessible for students who cannot afford private school fees.
Reddy highlighted that during the YSRCP government’s term from 2019 to 2024, significant steps were taken to improve the education system. His administration focused on making quality education accessible to all.
He detailed, “Under the Mana Badi – Nadu Nedu initiative, infrastructure was modernized in 56,703 government schools, welfare hostels, and junior colleges. Facilities like furniture, drinking water, toilets, and classrooms were improved. The first phase saw the completion of work in 15,715 schools, while the second phase upgraded 22,344 schools, with the third phase ongoing until June 2024.”
He mentioned that free tablets with Byju’s content were provided to Class 8 students and their teachers. English was introduced as the medium of instruction from the primary level, with bilingual textbooks and Oxford dictionaries distributed to facilitate this transition. This was essential for enabling students to compete on a global level.
Reddy also noted that to promote digital education, 62,000 Interactive Flat Panels (IFPs) were installed in classes above 6, and 45,000 smart TVs were set up in schools for classes 1 to 5.
Regarding the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language), he stated that a subject was introduced from Class 3 to develop students’ English speaking skills. An MoU was signed with the American Educational Testing Service to provide international certification for TOEFL.
Additionally, plans were underway to introduce the International Baccalaureate (IB) program to prepare students for global success, with training being provided to teachers, school heads, MEOs, and other faculty on the IB system.
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VKU/PM
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