Government school students and their parents expressed pride and happiness after receiving the prestigious Shining Stars Awards from Andhra Pradesh Minister for Education, IT and Electronics Nara Lokesh. They said government schools are now competing with private institutions in terms of quality education and academic performance, adding that the long-held perception of government schools being inferior has changed significantly.
The Shining Stars Awards ceremony was held at the CSR Convention Hall in Tadepalli, Mangalagiri constituency, where students who secured top ranks in the Class 10 and Intermediate Public Examinations were felicitated. During the event, several students and parents shared their inspiring success stories and credited teachers, government initiatives, and family support for their achievements.
C. Anusha, who secured 988 marks in the Intermediate Vocational stream from the Government Vocational Junior College in Kuppam, said receiving the award from Minister Lokesh was one of the proudest moments of her life. She thanked her teachers and parents for guiding her throughout her academic journey and appreciated the government’s support through free textbooks, notebooks and the midday meal scheme. She said her dream is to become a Chartered Accountant and take good care of her parents.
Anusha’s mother, Arunamma, said her daughter completed her education without placing any financial burden on the family because of the facilities provided by the government. She thanked the government for offering quality education and praised the recognition given to meritorious students through the Shining Stars Awards.
Sheikh Chandini, who scored 991 marks in the BiPC stream from the Government Junior Girls College in Kadiri, described the award as a memorable achievement. She credited her success to her parents, teachers and various government initiatives, including the Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan Student Kit and the Dokka Seethamma Mid-Day Meal Scheme. Chandini said she dreams of becoming a cardiologist and appealed for long-term coaching support to help achieve her goal.
Her mother, Sheikh Ammajaan, expressed immense pride over her daughter’s achievement and thanked the government for honouring talented students on such a prestigious platform.
Another topper, CH Ananya Sri, who scored 990 marks in the MPC stream from AP Model School in Tekkali, said government schools provide overall personality development in addition to academic excellence. She noted that several members of her family studied in government institutions and later became government officials, inspiring her to pursue a career in the civil services. She appreciated initiatives such as the Dokka Seethamma Mid-Day Meal Scheme, Student Kit and Sankalp programme for strengthening government education.
Ananya’s father, CH Krishna Rao, a government teacher, said the reforms introduced under Minister Lokesh have brought remarkable changes to the education system. He expressed hope that government schools would soon display “No Vacancy” boards due to increasing admissions and appreciated the decision to honour meritorious students through the Shining Stars Awards.
Class 10 student N. Chidvilas, who secured 593 marks from the Municipal High School in Amudalavalasa, said the recognition had motivated him to perform even better in the future. He thanked the government for implementing schemes such as the Dokka Seethamma Mid-Day Meal Programme and Thalliki Vandanam, and requested that the Shining Stars Awards continue in the coming years.
Deepa, a relative of Chidvilas, observed that government schools are now competing strongly with private schools because of improved teaching standards and focused academic programmes. She said the earlier stigma associated with government schools has largely disappeared and appreciated the reforms introduced in the education sector.
S. Swathi, who secured 594 marks in Class 10 from AP Model School, Sankhavaram, said the recognition was not just her personal achievement but also a victory for teachers, parents and everyone who believes in the potential of government school students. She said the current education reforms would help produce talented students capable of shaping Andhra Pradesh’s future. Swathi added that her ambition is to become an IAS officer and serve society.
Another student, Peddinti Bhuvanasri, who scored 591 marks from Government High School, Palakonda, credited her success to dedicated teachers, supportive parents and the government’s 100-Day Action Plan. She said the encouragement received from teachers played a key role in helping her achieve excellent results.
The Shining Stars Awards ceremony highlighted the growing confidence among students and parents in Andhra Pradesh’s government education system. Many participants said the reforms introduced in recent years have improved both academic standards and student confidence, making government schools an increasingly preferred choice for quality education.