Students forced to discontinue studies

Hyderabad: In the absence of a Junior College in Musheerabad in city has been leading to increased number of school dropouts in the area. Residents of Musheerabad are crying foul over the official apathy in establishing a Junior College in the locality, demand for which persists for past two decades. Despite many representations for several years, Junior College has not yet been established in the area. Densely populated localities have a large number of school going kids; however, many are discontinuing their studies after passing out from Class 10.

Local leaders and activists say that many parents cannot afford to send their children to distant places for studies and there are many reasons for it. Students either have to go for Chaderghat or Nampally Junior College after they complete their SSC. “It has been a long pending demand of the people here. We have large number of students studying in the schools but they are not seen going to colleges”, said former Corporator Wajid Hussain.

He said that government has to take immediate steps to establish a junior college here. There is a lot of place in the Musheerabad Government School premises and it can be utilised well for the junior college building, he said. Activists say that parents don’t agree to send their girls to other places for higher studies.

A local social group MarkaziPanch Committee (MPC) is working on educating people in the locality for quite some time. Mohammed Nayeemuddin, member of the organisation, said that most of the people in the Musheerabad, Bholakpur and adjacent areas belong to poorer sections. He said, ``We support the deserving families with monetary help for educational requirements of their children here. Many students have been provided the aid but if the junior college comes to the area, it would be of great help in providing higher education to the poor.”

Interestingly, Telangana government has announced to strengthen the higher education especially from Junior College level across the city. In a recent visit to city, Union Minister of HRD Prakash Javdekar had instructed the TS Education Minister Kadiyam Srihari to look into the matter and provide solution to the demand; but it is still on the back burner, said a local activist Mohammed Ismail.He said, ``There are 7 high schools and 22 primary schools in the Musheerabad Mandal with a cumulative strength of 3,000 students. The schools are for boys and girls. There are 3 Urdu Medium schools and remaining are Telugu and English medium schools.”