Fresh hope for school dropouts in A.P

[sajiv]

HYDERABAD: The Andhra Pradesh government on Wednesday launched an "Open School Society" (OSS) to offer "distance education" at primary level too, from Class I to X, thus implementing a long-pending proposal of the Education Department.

Chief Minister Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy symbolically inaugurated the new initiative by releasing a book of rules prescribed for the open school education in the presence of Rajiv Vidya Mission & District Primary Education Project Minister M. Hanumantha Rao.

The open school system aims at benefiting dropouts and those who suffer from age-bar.As Class X certificate is made compulsory for driving licences and absorption in small-time jobs, the OSS will provide them an opportunity to get it.

Mr. Rao announced at a press conference later that OSS would offer the open education at Class III, Class V, Class VII and Class X levels but, to begin with, it was confined to Class X only.

The candidate would need to attend only 45 classes in five subjects which would be conducted in Telugu, English and Urdu on second Saturdays and Sundays.They would be issued the certificate once they obtained the required grade. If the candidate has already passed Class IX, he would need to attend to only three subjects. Those who were successful in getting the grade could directly join Intermediate course in regular colleges.