Following directions from Education Minister Nara Lokesh, two children of beggars were given admission in the recently renovated V.R. High School in Nellore. Penchalayya and Venkateshwarlu, while begging on the streets, expressed their wish to study in school to Municipal Commissioner Y.O. Nandan on Thursday.
The Commissioner responded positively to their request, however, the school had already closed their admissions as the seats were full. Hearing about the incident on Saturday, Mr. Lokesh agreed to provide education to the two children. On social media platform ‘X’, he posted, “I was moved by the request of two children. I instructed the officials to make all necessary arrangements for the same.”
“Education is the only way to overcome poverty. If you have the drive and determination to reach higher positions in life, you can achieve your goal no matter how many difficulties you face. We will stand by these children of Nellore in every way to help them realise their dreams,” he wrote.
After receiving orders from the Minister, the district officials searched for the two children and found them on Sunday morning. Mr. Lokesh also said that school-going children in the city should get education and ordered a search for child labourers. He said that the government will provide all the facilities to children who are begging instead of attending school.
MA&UD Minister Ponguru Narayana, who played a key role in renovating the 150-year-old school, also ordered the officials to admit the two children into the school. He further directed the officials to identify more children who spend their time begging on the roadside, and take steps to enrol them in the school.
He issued instructions to the Secretariat staff to identify children who are involved in begging alongside with their parents and explain to them the importance of education.
