AP schools push gender equality

1. Gender equality in textbooks: AP has revised Classes 1–2 textbooks to show men and women sharing household chores, aiming to challenge gender stereotypes early
2. Technology-driven personalised learning: The State plans interactive, “gameified” classrooms using videos, clickers and LMS data to identify learning gaps and provide targeted homework through the LEAP app
3. Education linked to skills and industry: Reforms span school, higher and technical education, with curriculum aligned to market needs and companies such as Suzlon and Royal Enfield adopting ITIs.

Metro India News | AMARAVATI

The Andhra Pradesh government has embarked on reforms in school education, focusing on gender sensitivity, value-based learning, technology-enabled classrooms and industry-linked skills.State Education Minister Nara Lokesh said textbooks have been revised to eliminate gender stereotypes and instil respect for women from an early age. Classes 1 and 2 textbooks that earlier depicted household chores as being performed entirely by women now show men and women sharing the workload.

The State is also observing Saturdays as “No Bag Day”, allowing students to engage in practical and value-based learning. Activities include lessons on managing family and agricultural budgets, field visits and introduction to Artificial Intelligence (AI). Students are being taught both the positive and negative aspects of AI to help them understand and use the technology effectively.

Lokesh said curriculum reform was being undertaken incrementally, with grade-wise improvements and continuous additions. The State has already completed two rounds of curriculum improvement. He outlined a long-term plan to “gameify” classrooms using technology. After every 45-minute class, students would watch a 60- or 90-second video summarising the lesson, followed by four or five questions. Clicker technology would enable students to participate actively, shifting them from passive to active learners.

The responses would feed into the State’s Learning Management System (LMS), helping identify individual learning gaps and provide targeted homework and learning material. For instance, a student strong in mathematics but weak in probability could receive additional material through the Learning Excellence in Andhra Pradesh (LEAP) app, which is accessible to parents and teachers.

The government is also reviewing university curricula in consultation with academicians to assess the relevance of courses, majors and minors and their alignment with market requirements. Lokesh said the “one class, one teacher” standard had improved from three per cent of schools in 2024 to 33 per cent now. The State has also recruited 16,000 teachers and plans to continue recruitment every year.

On technical education, Lokesh said industry adoption of Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) was being promoted. Suzlon has adopted four ITIs and Royal Enfield one, with companies providing equipment and industry-specific curriculum while the State provides trainers. Lokesh said the reforms seek to create an education ecosystem combining values, practical exposure, technology, personalised learning and industry-relevant skills from school to higher and technical education.