AMARAVATI: Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy had taken the decision to shift medium of instruction to English from the primary school level thinking ahead of times and to benefit all sections equally while the vested interests are trying to politicise it and are even putting a religious tag to it for their selfish gains.

Speaking to media here on Monday, Minister for Education Adimulapu Suresh said it was unfortunate that a section of the media was linking religion with education by ascribing the government policy of providing English medium in all schools to religious conversion.

Over two lakh students from the state go abroad every year and they all have proficiency in English. He asked if that also amounted to religious conversion. The world has been turning into a global village and under the circumstances, it is important for all the students to acquire modern technical knowledge to get good opportunities abroad.

Mostly, SC, ST and minority students are those going to government schools and these sections would immensely benefit from English medium and boldly face the world-wide competition.

The minister said most of the corporate colleges were providing education only in English medium and charging hefty fees. Hence the government has started English medium at the primary level. The government has to overcome several challenges due to the new education policy and we are ready to face them. Teachers have to upgrade their language skills, a new curriculum has to be evolved and infrastructure has to be developed in the government schools.

To that extent, the government is implementing Mana Badi, Nadu-Nedu programme to meet all the needs to provide quality education to the students. After having lost their steam over sand scarcity, self-styled intellectuals are now directing their energies to link education with religion and claiming that change in the medium of instruction was aimed at religious conversion, the minister said. First-generation people know the importance of English and can also explain the loss of opportunities due to the lack of it.

He said 50% reservation was being provided by the government in the Cabinet, nominated and even contract posts to the ST, SC, BC and Minorities. He said those who were unable to digest this revolutionary step by the government were trying to politicize the new education policy