Southern States - Andhra Pradesh   

Kids tell CM poverty forced them to quit school

By Our Staff Reporter

MYPADU, (NELLORE DT.), NOV. 26. The Chief Minister, N. Chandrababu Naidu, had an interesting interaction with some schoolchildren to know their pulse about going back to school. He talked to more than 10 boys and girls at Mypadu, 25 km from Nellore, on Wednesday, as part of `Chaduvula Panduga' programme.

Most of the boys and girls admitted that it was mainly due to economic constraints that they gave up studies, though they were eager to go to school. Mr. Naidu instructed the officials to arrange for their admissions to regular schools or residential schools. The Chief Minister, however, was in for a shock when a girl, Vijaya, told him that she was working in the fields of a landlord. When Mr. Naidu, asked her to name him, she became nervous and despite his assurances she could not reveal the landlord's name. Interestingly even the crowd kept mum till someone whispered that it was one T. Balarami Reddy. The Chief Minister immediately ordered the RDO and officials concerned to collect Rs. 15,000 from the landlord apart from due wages as per the Minimum Wages Act and back wages and deposit the entire amount in a bank in the girl's name of the girl. Incidentally the parents of the most of children were not present on the occasion, though the Chief Minister, felt that some of them might be present in the crowd.

M. Sriramulu, a dropout who joined a bridge school at Podalakur, when he said he wanted to become a teacher so that he could offer better education to students, moved Mr. Naidu. Sriramulu is also a good dancer and has already been commended by the district administration for his talent.

He then performed a dance to the background of a song, which pleaded with parents not to burden children with heavy work and instead send them to school.

Moved by the performance, a native of Brahmadevam, Ramachandra Reddy, handed over Rs. 116 to him. The Chief Minister also announced a personal donation of Rs. 10,116 for the education fund (Vidya Nidhi) and soon there were spot donations by 17 philanthropists, amounting to Rs. 65,464. The amount will be spent for strengthening the necessary infrastructure pertaining to education in Mypadu.

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