Andhra Pradesh: School Education Department launches programme to provide English assessments for students

Vijayawada (Andhra Pradesh) [India], February 13 : The School Education Department of Andhra Pradesh, in collaboration with Educational Testing Service (ETS), Princeton University (USA), has launched a programme to provide tailored English assessments for students in Classes 3 to 9 across all government schools in the state, a senior official said.
Praveen Prakash, Principal Secretary of School Education, informed that this initiative aimed to enhance the students' listening and speaking skills and prepare them for the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) exam.
The Principal Secretary informed that it is mandatory for all government schools to conduct daily TOEFL classes for students in Classes 3 to 9.
"These classes should prioritise the development of students' listening and speaking skills. The State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT) has provided schools with audio-visual (AV) content to support teachers in conducting the TOEFL classes, and this material should be actively used in classrooms," he instructed.
Praveen further informed that the DEOs (District Educational Officers) are responsible for establishing a system to monitor the implementation of TOEFL classes and collect regular feedback from all the stakeholders.
"DEOs will be held accountable for the successful implementation of the TOEFL programme in their respective districts, and any failure to conduct daily TOEFL classes will result in disciplinary action," he added.
Detailing the importance of the programme, he said that the TOEFL programme offers a valuable opportunity for students to strengthen their spoken English language skills and prepare for global opportunities. He further urged all DEOs and RJDs (regional joint directors) to take necessary steps to ensure the program's successful implementation in their districts.