Telangana BJP unit questioned the TS Government’s intent and commitment towards improving the quality of education in the State, from school to university level, since it has not taken a single step towards filling up scores of vacant teaching and other posts at various levels.
Irked by comments made by the Deputy Chief Minister K. Srihari, who criticised the Centre for not supporting the education sector, party chief K. Laxman charged that, instead of taking steps to improve educational institutions, the TRS-led government has given total freedom to private and corporate institutions to expand and collect high fees.
“It is unfortunate that Mr. Srihari, being the Education Minister, has not been able to do anything concrete about the fee regulation committee, and instead allowed recommendation of permitting an annual hike. What has been done to address 60% vacancies in teaching posts in universities or the 24,000-odd teachers posts in schools? Were not 5,000 schools closed, depriving poor children of their right to education in the name of rationalising?” he asked. In fact, TS had lost a golden opportunity by giving up hosting the prestigious Indian Science Congress (ISC) and “forced the VC” hand in writing the letter to the organisers. “This Government keeps comparing itself to AP, but it has to know that more than 24,000 teachers have been appointed with help of two district selection committee notifications there,” said the BJP leader and wondered if education standards would improve with outsourced staff, poor infrastructure and contract teachers.
Mr. Laxman pointed out that TS has the dubious distinction of having the highest illiteracy rate in South India, with certain districts having an abysmal low of 20%.
