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51 minutes ago
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The Telangana Save Education Committee has demanded that the government withdraw its orders to close schools in hamlets, tandas, villages and areas with significant Adivasi populations, stating that such a move is anti-Adivasi and anti-rural.
Committee leaders K. Chakradhara Rao, G. Haragopal, and K. Lakshminarayana reminded Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy of his comments at The Hindu Huddle organised in Bengaluru.
Mr. Reddy had said that schools were set up in Gond and Lambadi hamlets in remote areas at a time when there were no transport facilities, and that this model is now outdated. He also stated that orders had been issued to close 23,000 schools in such hamlets and villages.
The leaders further maintained that Mr. Reddy and the Congress government have done nothing except make hollow speeches about improving government schools. “They are implementing the same pro-corporate educational policies that the previous BRS regime followed. This Congress government has a history of violating its own manifesto promise of allocating 15% funds to education if it came to power,” they noted.
Further, they observed that the idea of sending buses to students’ homes for pickup is unrealistic, especially when the government allocates one of the lowest proportions of funds to education in the country.
They alleged that Mr. Revanth Reddy’s approach of closing about 23,000 schools would weaken the government schools and drive lakhs of Adivasi, Dalit, poor and rural students away from education. They added that the policy of “rationalisation”, which they described as irrational and detrimental to Adivasi and rural students, must be stopped immediately.
The committee demanded that at least 20% of government funds be allocated to the education sector, pre-primary education be introduced in every primary school with adequate facilities and trained teachers, and measures be taken to ensure at least one teacher and one classroom per grade so that quality education is provided to all.
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