City educators have asked the Telangana government to convert government schools into residential ones to ensure quality education for students from all strata of society. According to statistics released by Save Education Committee, of the 62 lakh students who study in government and private schools, only two lakh are sent to Gurukul Vidyalayals which offer residential facility.
The Telangana government had decided to increase the number of residential schools from 560 to 753 in 2017.
The government had also expressed its intent to develop these institutions as elite schools among the government-run ones.
Speaking at a media conference organised in the city, retired professor and member of the committee, G. Haragopal, asked the government to impart quality education to all students without creating any distinction between schools.
“The State government should not differentiate between the schools run by it. All educational institutions should provide the same facilities so that students get educated effectively at a low cost. We should create classrooms where diversity is maintained,” Mr. Haragopal said. Ravichandar, State president of Residential Teachers’ Association, urged the government to prevent the private sector from taking over education.
“The number of private schools sanctioned and recognised by the government every year should be restricted. About 14,000 private schools have 32 lakh students studying there. Whereas 26,000 government schools ignored by the State funding agencies have only 30 lakh students,” Mr. Ravichandar pointed out.
The committee also wanted the Private University Bill to be scrapped. “We have universities like OU which made Telangana State formation possible. Private universities will only offer education to students who can afford high fee. A large majority of students in Telangana cannot afford it. The Bill will kill our higher education sector,” Mr. Haragopal said.
The Save Education Committee has been campaigning for equal education opportunities for all students. It aims at increasing government participation in the education sector.
