Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy on Wednesday said his government is doing everything possible to restore confidence in public education and dispel misconceptions about the quality of education in government educational institutions.
Addressing a gathering after inaugurating the Telangana Public School at Arutla in Ranga Reddy district, the Prime Minister said education remains the most powerful tool to transform lives and reduce social inequality.
“There are many misconceptions among parents regarding education in government schools. The Telangana Public School Initiative has been launched to remove these doubts and show that government institutions can provide quality education at par with the best schools,” Revanth Reddy said.
He called for a change in public perception towards public schools, saying that studying in a public institution should no longer be viewed as an embarrassing issue. “The idea that studying in a government school is shameful should go away. Many individuals who studied in government schools have gone on to become IAS and IPS officers, and even chief ministers,” he said.
He said that education has the ability to bring about fundamental changes in people’s lives and create equal opportunities for all segments of society. “Quality education should be accessible to every child regardless of their social or economic background,” he said.
The Prime Minister reiterated the government’s commitment to strengthen public education infrastructure and create world-class learning environments through Telangana Public Schools, which are being developed with modern facilities, digital classrooms, sports infrastructure and English language teaching.
He expressed confidence that the TPS model would help improve educational standards, attract more students to government schools and create future leaders, civil servants and professionals from diverse backgrounds.
Revanth Reddy said the state government will set up Telangana public schools, one in each assembly constituency. “The future of Telangana does not lie in glass palaces or colorful walls. We firmly believe that it lies inside the classrooms,” he said.
The Prime Minister also interacted with students, teachers and members of the school management committee during his visit. He toured the digital classrooms, science laboratories, library, dining hall and sports facilities and had breakfast with the students.
Reddy said the Telangana Public School model has been designed with latest infrastructure and international standards to provide education from nursery to intermediate level. Besides academics, equal emphasis will be placed on sports, cultural activities and personality development.
Students enrolled in TPS institutions will receive free transportation, breakfast, lunch and evening snacks, while teaching will be conducted entirely in English. The schools are equipped with digital classrooms, laboratories, libraries, modern educational technologies and extensive sports infrastructure.
Highlighting the government’s broader educational vision, Reddy said initiatives like Young India Integrated Residential Schools and Young India Skills University aim to ensure quality education and skill development for the youth.
Reddy also stressed the importance of sports in schools and said that the government has set up Young India Sports University with the aim of producing Olympic medal winners. Sports training programs have already been introduced in schools, he said, adding that Telangana is committed to creating world-class sports talent.
Referring to the football event featuring legendary footballer Lionel Messi in Hyderabad, the Prime Minister said the government has succeeded in promoting the sport despite criticism from political opponents.
The Telangana Public School initiative is being implemented on a pilot basis in four locations – Arutla and Manchala in Ranga Reddy district, Vanjoor and Pulkampalli in erstwhile Mahabubnagar district. Based on the success of the pilot project, the government plans to set up 100 Telangana public schools across the state in phases.
The Arutla campus features digital classrooms, spacious playing fields, science laboratories, library, gymnasium, dining facilities and dedicated infrastructure for sports including cricket, football, volleyball, kho kho, kabaddi, tennis and carrom. Specialized trainers have also been appointed to train the students.
To facilitate access, the government deployed five school buses to transport students from Arutla and surrounding villages. Officials believe that the initiative will encourage parents to transfer their children from private schools to government institutions.
The school currently has 1,814 students enrolled, including 150 in pre-primary, 600 in primary, 800 in secondary, and 264 in intermediate courses. The overwhelming response from parents has already made the institution one of the most sought after government schools in the state.
