VISAKHAPATNAM: The commissionerate of School Education (CSE) has approved open parallel English medium sections in 218 primary schools in Visakhapatnam district, starting from the 2018-19 academic year.This is for the first time that the state government is rolling out parallel English medium sections at government primary schools after it discerned how the only availability of Telugu medium sections have been driving the students away. In all, 2,794 primary schools across the state will get the English medium sections. Initially, the district education officials sent proposals for 1,500 schools. After considering the student enrolment, availability of teachers and school infrastructure, the CSE has given permission to 218 schools of the district in the first phase. During the state-wide consultation reviews, education department officials found that government secondary schools, having parallel English medium schools, have been witnessing good enrolment. They also noticed the trend of increasing enrolment in municipal primary schools after introduction of English medium about two years ago. District education officer B Lingeswara Reddy informed that about 1,500 schools in the district have evinced their interest to open parallel English medium sections. “As of now, the state government has given its nod to open parallel English medium sections in 218 schools in the first phase,” Reddy said.English sections will be introduced in Class I from 2018-19 academic year, which will be extended to higher classes as the students progress till class V in the consequent academic years.Reddy said they have identified about 69 centres to conduct a month-long summer residential programme for underperforming students of class V and IX (or for students entering VI and X in 2018-19 academic year) from May 1 to 31. “Based on the analysis of the results of summative assessment one, about 4,431 students of class V and 23,583 students of class IX were chosen for the remedial coaching camp,” said Reddy.

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