Live
- 3 Odisha Police officers get ‘Dakshata’ award
- Punjab To Rebrand Aam Aadmi Clinics Following Central Funding Dispute
- First inscribed ‘Sati Shila’ of Odisha deciphered
- India-China Defence Ministers To Meet Following Historic LAC Disengagement Deal
- NBW against ex-BJD MP, 5 others in tribal murder case
- Combing operations on against Maoists, weapons recovered: HM
- Delhi's winter action plan: Govt to set up 250 tents for homeless individuals
- Naik reviews drinking water project
- Eureka! 2 young innovators unleash creativity, dish out AI-enabled solutions
- Worst in the country: Air quality hits severe
Fate of 314 govt schools hangs in balance
In the name of rationalization, about 314 government schools are facing the threat of closure in Adilabad, Nirmal and Asifabad districts as the strength of students in these is less than 20.
Adilabad: In the name of rationalisation, about 314 government schools are facing the threat of closure in Adilabad, Nirmal and Asifabad districts as the strength of students in these is less than 20.
In some of the schools, especially the one at Komaram Bheem Colony, one on the GPS Station Road, primary school in Venkatraopeta and one school in Jainath mandal, there is not even a single student on the rolls.
HIGHLIGHTS:
- They are facing threat of closure due to rationalisation
- Most of these schools have a student strength of less than 20
- Parents, teachers and students are against their closure
- Demand to introduce English as medium of instruction to increase the strength
Prior to the dwindling of the student strength, many passed out from these schools and went on to occupy various positions in the society.
Now, what is left is weeds and grass grown on these premises which are locked. The teachers of these were transferred to elsewhere.
In Adilabad district, there are four schools that have no students, 20 schools where the strength is up to 10 and there are 53 schools where the strength ranges between 10 and 20.
According to District Education Officer Sivalingaiah, there are 78 schools in Adilabad district where the student strength is less than 20.
In Nirmal district, there are 42 schools each of which has students less than 20. In 100 schools being run by the Tribal Welfare department, the total number of students in each of the schools is less than 20.
In Asifabad district, there are 40 such schools and Mancherial has 54 schools each of which has students less than 20.
Parents have been worrying about the closure of the schools as part of the rationalisation because most of the students of these schools are from backward classes and tribal communities.
Meanwhile, academicians are expressing apprehensions that the students of these schools might end up as child labourers if the government closes down them.
Teachers’ Union leader Venkat has been pleading with the government not to close down these schools. He demanded the government to take action against teachers if their work was not up to the mark.
Meanwhile, students’ unions blame the government policies for dwindling student strength in government schools.
District SFI secretary Sachin blamed the government for ignoring the pleas of parents to introduce English as medium of instruction in government schools.
The government teachers are drawing salaries and rarely teaching, he alleged and demanded the government to take action against them.
ABVP leader Manoj lamented that Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao promised free and compulsory education from KG-to-PG level at the time of elections and conveniently shelved the promise soon after coming to power. He demanded 11 per cent of the budget funds to education sector.
Tribal leader Sidam Simby asked the government to reconsider the decision to close down the government schools as it would alienate tribal students from education. He vowed to wage a protest to save government schools in tribal areas from closure.
