Facial Recognition Must In Schools, Colleges: CM

To upgrade the quality standards of education delivery and strengthen accountability across Telangana, Chief Minister Revanth Reddy today directed officials to improve the infrastructure in schools, colleges and universities, and to ensure better attendance and accountability by introducing facial recognition for students, faculty and staff in all institutions.

At a high-level review meeting of the education department, the Chief Minister, while discussing the various irregularities, said that multiple departments were handling the construction of classrooms, kitchens, toilets and guardhouses, and that that was hindering progress. To streamline the process, he ordered that all education-related constructions be brought under the Education and Welfare Infrastructure Development Corporation (EWIDC), which was already handling the Young India Integrated Residential Schools. Any required staff would be deputed from other departments, he said.

Reddy also instructed the officials to immediately clear all the pending bills related to the Mid-Day Meal program and the sanitation dues under the Amma Adarsha Schools. He also asked them to expedite the constructions of urinals, toilets and solar-powered container kitchens in the women's colleges.

He added that the government was committed to sports, and that Physical Education Teachers (PETs) could be hired on a contract basis if required.

He also proposed the appointment of female counsellors in Gurukul schools to guide girl students.

The CM said that education expenditure should be treated as an investment, and not spending. He added that Deputy CM Bhatti Vikramarka had already appealed to Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman to exempt education development loans, including those for residential schools, from the FRBM limits.

The Chief Minister also directed officials to prepare a report on students from the BC, SC, ST and minority communities who studied in government institutions over the past 10 years and constituted over 90% of the total enrollments.

The meeting was attended by Government Advisor Vem Narender Reddy, Special Secretary B Ajith Reddy, OSD Vemulu Srinivasulu, Principal Secretary Yogita Rana, Higher Education Board Chairman Balakishta Reddy, Technical Education Commissioner Sridevasena, School Education Director Naveen Nicholas and other senior officials.