Hyderabad: Telangana will switch to a 10+2 education structure from the next academic year. Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy directed officials to prepare for it at a review meeting on Wednesday.
Eighteen states already run a 12-year schooling system. The government is adopting it to improve quality, the Chief Minister said. He suggested the structure run as primary from nursery to Class 4, secondary from Classes 5 to 8, and senior secondary from Classes 9 to 12.
By the time students finish Class 12 they should have a strong command of language and communication, Reddy said. After that they can pick subjects of their interest and specialise.
He flagged the dropout rate after Class 10, particularly among girls and students from Dalit, tribal and minority communities. Institutions such as Kendriya Vidyalayas, Navodaya Vidyalayas and Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas run up to Class 12 and see fewer dropouts, he noted.
Welfare hostels and residential schools must stop operating from rented buildings and move into permanent facilities, he ordered. Funds would be released for this. He also asked for toilets with running water in every school, hostel and residential school.
Construction of Young India Integrated Residential Schools is to be expedited. So is funding to upgrade polytechnics, after enrolment rose when ITIs were converted into Advanced Training Centres. He asked officials to complete recruitment of assistant professors, associate professors and other university faculty at the earliest.
The Intermediate Education Joint Action Committee has rejected the proposed merger of Intermediate education with school education. It has threatened a statewide agitation involving students, parents, lecturers and employees, arguing the move would hurt academic prospects and preparation for competitive exams.
The government has not set a date for the switch beyond "next academic year", and the JAC's agitation could test how smoothly it lands.