Vijayawada,  The government of Andhra Pradesh has been giving top priority to education and has brought several reforms in the sector and spent Rs 53,000 crore during the last three years, said Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy.

He said the state government spent over Rs 53,000 crore under various schemes that are aimed at placing the state ahead in terms of quality of education, increasing literacy rate, checking dropout rates and achieving 70 per cent Gross Enrollment Ratio (GER) in higher education.

Speaking at the Teachers' Day function here on Monday, the chief minister reiterated his government's reforms in education sector to provide quality education to students.

He also stated that teachers have a prominent role to play in shaping the future of the students in this competitive world which is dynamic in nature.

Jagan Mohan Reddy said that his government has been giving top priority to education sector and the various reforms ushered in are to fully prepare the students to face the competitive world they would be entering. He described teachers as the sculptors who mould the students' future.

Conveying greetings to the teachers and paying homage to Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, he said the reforms brought in by his government are aimed to provide a better society of youngsters and are not aimed at troubling the teachers.

"Our commitment is to give prominence to public sector unlike the previous government which has neglected the government schools to favour corporate schools," he said.

He said the government spent the huge money on various schemes like revamping the schools under Nadu Nedu, Jagananna Goru Muddha, English medium, Vidya Kanuka, CBSE, subject teachers, Byju's pack, tabs to eight class students, digital classrooms, upgrading teachers skills, Vidya Deevena, Vasati Deevena and others.

He claimed that the government's aim is to provide quality education to the marginalised sections of the society and the reforms are aimed at changing the lives of deprived classes for a better future. "Our reforms are aimed at bringing back the previous glory to government schools and shaping them better than corporate schools which will attract more students," he said.

The government also increased the retirement age of teachers to 62 and gave promotions to teachers. The pension issue which was not resolved since long was also being taken up to sincerely find a solution by our government, he said.

The chief minister quoting Alexander said that he would be grateful to his father for giving birth to him and will be grateful to his teacher for making his birth a meaningful one.

The chief minister said that the opposition which never bothered to solve such issues is now speaking against the government and provoking the teachers.

The opposition has weakened all public sector units in education, medical and transport sector and had brought in a situation where even government employees need to go. But we have reversed the trend and are working forward with the reforms, he said.

Later, he presented awards to Best Teachers.

Education Minister Botsa Satyanarayana spoke about the measures being taken by the government to pursue quality education and the efforts of chief minister for giving priority to education sector.