Telangana News | KTR Expresses Concern Over Potential Closure of 1,864 Schools by Congress Government in Telangana

Hyderabad: BRS working president K T Rama Rao has voiced grave concern over the Congress government’s approach to school education in Telangana, fearing that 1,864 schools may face closure due to a lack of viable student strength.

He criticized the State government for neglecting the education sector, accusing it of intentionally keeping poor and middle-class students away from quality education.

KTR highlighted that instead of strengthening government schools, the current administration was planning to shut them down due to declining student enrolment. He pointed out a significant decrease in admissions, with around 2.4 lakh fewer students enrolling in government schools in 2024 compared to the previous year, which he described as a dangerous trend for the State’s education sector.

He also lambasted the government for failing to address the root causes of declining enrolment, noting that nearly 25,000 teaching positions remain vacant. According to KTR, this inaction has led to the closure of schools and the reassignment of teachers to other institutions, depriving many students of government education.

KTR raised concerns about the lack of proper infrastructure, poor-quality food, and unsafe conditions in schools and welfare hostels. He cited recent incidents in Gurukul schools, where students suffered from food poisoning and unsafe living conditions, as evidence of the government’s neglect.

He reminded the public of the initiatives undertaken during K Chandrashekhar Rao’s ten-year rule to promote public education. These included the establishment of over a thousand Gurukul schools, the provision of quality food, the introduction of English medium education, and significant financial allocations for education, which led to increased competition for admissions in government schools.

KTR criticized the current government for not continuing the path laid by Chandrashekhar Rao and questioned why schools should be closed without addressing the underlying issues causing the decline in student enrolment.

He also recalled that students in government hostels were served fine rice, approximately Rs. 7,289 crore was allocated for education, and concrete buildings were arranged through Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) funds. KTR emphasized that Chandrashekhar Rao had paid special attention to systematically strengthening the public education system, with initiatives like the Chief Minister’s breakfast scheme introduced to prevent dropouts.

KTR accused the Revanth Reddy government of halting these initiatives and neglecting the crucial issue of providing quality education to poor and middle-class students.