Ponguleti urges skill programmes in all mandals, highlights value of parents and teachers

Hyderabad: Minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy on Thursday urged students to always respect their parents and teachers, describing them as lifelong guiding forces. He made these remarks at a student skill development session hosted by the Inspire and Ignite Foundation at ZPHS Kusumanchi.

The event brought together students from the Zilla Parishad High School, Gurukulam, and the Junior College. Praising the training conducted by Ranjith and his team, the minister noted, “A diamond shines only after it’s polished. Likewise, this session brought out emotional and moral awareness among students.”

Furthermore, he applauded the team’s effort to instil values such as gratitude and discipline. He proposed extending the programme to every mandal in the Palair constituency. Additionally, he expressed interest in discussing a state-wide rollout with the Chief Minister.

“Only parents and teachers offer unconditional love,” Ponguleti emphasized. However, he expressed concern that many students were falling prey to drugs and bad habits. To counter this, he said the state government had initiated strict anti-drug measures and advised students to avoid destructive behaviours.

Encouraging them to stay focused, the minister asked students to honour their parents’ hopes and work towards their goals. He underlined the need for children to grow into responsible individuals who uphold their family’s trust.

Speaking at the same event, Additional Collector P. Srinivas Reddy said the programme aimed to spark empathy and human values. He explained that while academic success is vital, living with compassion and moral strength is just as important.

He also voiced concern over talented youth taking wrong paths due to poor choices. For this reason, he stressed that building strong character alongside academic progress was key to long-term success.

At the end of the programme, Minister Ponguleti distributed bicycles to 34 girl students of the Junior College through the PSR Charitable Trust. Palair special officer Ramesh, MEO Rayala Veeraswamy, school staff, parents, and students attended the event.