Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and Andhra Pradesh Education and IT Minister Nara Lokesh jointly visited the PM SHRI AP Model School at Bhogapuram in Andhra Pradesh’s Vizianagaram district, where they reviewed the state’s ongoing education reforms, digital learning initiatives, and school infrastructure.
The ministers were welcomed by the school’s headmistress, teachers, and students, followed by a ceremonial guard of honour. During their visit, they interacted with students and faculty while inspecting various academic and infrastructure facilities developed under the state’s education initiatives.
One of the major highlights of the visit was the demonstration of the ‘Jadui Pitara’ learning kit, an innovative teaching resource designed to make classroom learning more engaging for young students. Minister Lokesh also showcased the Student Progress Cards and Assessment Booklets introduced by the School Education Department to continuously monitor student learning outcomes.
The Union Minister was briefed about the value education initiative that includes specially prepared books based on discourses by renowned spiritual speaker Chaganti Koteswara Rao. He also examined the ‘Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan Vidyarthi Mitra Kit,’ which includes textbooks, notebooks, workbooks, school bags, uniforms, shoes, belts, socks, and dictionaries provided to students by the Andhra Pradesh government.
Dharmendra Pradhan also reviewed the School Education Department’s LEAP Dashboard, which digitally tracks key performance indicators such as student enrolment, attendance, learning outcomes, midday meal implementation, school inspections, dropout rates, LEAP app usage, academic performance, infrastructure development, Smart Kitchens, and Bhavita Centres for children with special needs. Minister Lokesh explained how technology is being used to monitor schools in real time and improve educational outcomes across the state.
The ministers also viewed a presentation on Andhra Pradesh’s upcoming Smart Kitchen initiative aimed at improving the quality and efficiency of school midday meals. Officials explained the pilot Smart Kitchen project currently being implemented in Kadapa district.
During the visit, the delegation inspected the school’s sports room, skill laboratory, and library. They interacted with students working on innovative projects, including a homework and periodic assessment application developed using the Python programming language. Officials also explained the state’s pre-vocational education programme and showcased the ‘Kaushal Bodh’ learning material designed to equip students with practical skills.
In one of the most engaging moments of the visit, Dharmendra Pradhan entered a Class IX classroom and observed an interactive digital lesson on the Physiographic Divisions of India. Students participated in a quiz using smart classroom technology, with more than half answering correctly. The Union Minister also interacted directly with the students, asking them about their breakfast, lunch, studies, and classroom experiences.
When a student introduced himself as Chanakya, the minister asked whether he knew who Chanakya was and whether he was a king or a kingmaker. The student confidently replied, “Kingmaker,” drawing appreciation from those present. Another student shared that he sought help from his elder brother whenever he had doubts in his studies. During the interaction, Lokesh also explained the state’s bilingual textbook initiative aimed at making learning more accessible for students.
The ministers later visited the PAL (Personalised Adaptive Learning) Lab, where students learn based on their individual learning levels. They interacted with teachers and students to understand how the programme is helping improve academic performance. As a special gesture, a student presented Dharmendra Pradhan and Nara Lokesh with customised 3D-printed nameplates created at the school.
Appreciating the initiatives being implemented in Andhra Pradesh, Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan congratulated Nara Lokesh for his efforts to strengthen the state’s education system through technology, infrastructure development, and student-focused reforms. The visit highlighted Andhra Pradesh’s growing emphasis on modern, technology-driven education and its commitment to improving learning outcomes across government schools.
