Students hold protest against non-supply of textbooks

‘More than 14,000 students in 96 schools in city have no basic amenities'

SEEKING THEIR DUE: Students of government schools staging a protest opposite the Collectorate in Visakhapatnam on Monday. Photo:K.R. Deepak

Students organised a massive dharna in front of District Collector's Office demanding immediate supply of 2.5 lakh textbooks as it was more than a week since schools had reopened.

Supported by Students Federation of India, the students submitted a memorandum to the district Collector highlighting the plight of more than 14,000 students studying in 96 schools in the city as they did not have basic amenities like drinking water and lavatories.

There were 233 vacancies of Secondary Grade Teachers, which needed to be filled, a primary school needs to be set up in Maddilapalem area. Students from Kancharapalem, Dandu Bazar and other areas participated in the dharna. These schools did not have their own buildings also.

There were many students, who were unable pay fee and study in good schools from among economically weaker sections, hence as per the Right to Education Act 25 per cent of them need to be admitted in private schools also providing them free education, according to the memorandum.