Latest news with #KonaSashidhar
The Hindu
29-07-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Teachers freed from P4 linked pressure
There is a growing resentment among teacher unions in the state against what they call 'pressure being mounted on them to register as 'mentors' or 'guides' under the 'P4' (Public-Private-People-Participation) initiative.' In view of this, Secretary, School Education, Kona Sashidhar has issued a circular strictly instructing district Collectors not to involve principals, headmasters or teachers of government schools and colleges in any activity not related to the School Education Department. Mr. Sasidhar pointed out that it was brought to the notice of the government that Collectors and certain departments in a few districts were asking principals, headmasters and teachers of government schools and colleges to upload data related to their departments without the notice of the School Education Department. He said this was causing a hindrance to the regular academic activities in the respective institutions and asked the district officials to desist from involving teachers. Leaders of the Andhra Pradesh Teachers Federation (APTF), meanwhile, have welcomed the move stating that this would end the prevailing confusion among teachers. It may be noted that in the wake of the launch of P4 initiative and the government urging all departments to become part of the poverty-eradication drive, a few District Education Officers (DEOs), after receiving instructions by the Collectors, sent links to headmasters and teachers asking them to register as 'mentors' and adopt families under the initiative within a stipulated deadline. The move drew flak from teacher unions which insisted that pressure to adopt families was unacceptable and that the 'p4' programme should be implemented on voluntary basis.
The Hindu
04-06-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
V-Cs' of public varsities in A.P told to focus on reorientation of curricula, employability, research and global reach
Secretary Department of Higher Education, Kona Sashidhar, on Wednesday directed Vice-Chancellors and Registrars of all State Universities to focus on improving academic and administrative standards across their respective institutions. Speaking at a meeting organised by the Andhra Pradesh State Council of Higher Education (APSCHE), Mr. Sashidhar directed the Vice-Chancellors and Registrars to focus on reorientation of curricula, to enhance graduate employability in line with the market and social needs. He also asked the universities to mentor other institutions, including ITIs, polytechnics, professional colleges, and general degree colleges, to ensure cohesive development across the higher education spectrum. He urged the Universities to function as skill clusters to address the diverse NSQF (National Skill Qualification Framework) levels, to provide seamless upskilling and reskilling opportunities, and enhance institutional visibility by maintaining comprehensive databases of all constituent and affiliated colleges under their jurisdiction. The Council Chairman, K. Madhu Murthy, stressed the need for collaboration among universities to raise academic standards, strengthen institutional governance, and improve global competitiveness. He reviewed court cases related to faculty recruitment and pointed out that these legal issues were impeding faculty recruitment. He directed the universities to resolve these cases in coordination with legal and administrative departments to ensure timely and transparent recruitment without compromising on quality or statutory compliance. On implementation of four-year UG Honours programmes with dual majors, he shared a detailed framework for the rollout of the programmes in line with NEP-2020, highlighting the introduction of dual majors as an innovative approach to foster inter-disciplinary learning. The universities were advised to adopt a uniform curriculum framework for technical programmes offered by engineering institutions across the State and to implement the Faculty Development Programmes (FDPs) focussing on digital pedagogy and emerging technologies. Prof. Murthy said APSCHE would extend financial support to universities for organising FDPs. Emphasis was also laid on the establishment of functional and dynamic Research Boards in every university to foster a strong research ecosystem, secure external funding, and promote high-quality publications. The Vice-Chancellors were encouraged to strengthen their international outreach, design foreign-student-friendly policies, and leverage platforms such as 'Study in India' to enhance global visibility and attract international students. The universities were also advised to strengthen the implementation and monitoring of short-term internship programmes, ensuring effective industry engagement and experiential learning, employability skills, industry exposure, and research aptitude opportunities for students. Vice-Chairpersons of APSCHE K. Rama Mohana Rao and P. Uma Maheswari Devi, Secretary T.V. Sri Krishna Murthy and Vice-Chancellors and Registrars of all State Universities attended the meeting. Eom...
