The Supreme Court has commissioned a study by a three-member lawyer panel on the Government schools in Telangana. The State reported zero enrolment last year in about 400 schools and less than 20 per cent admissions in over 3,000 of its schools.
The Bench of Justices Dipak Misra and Shiva Kirti Singh was shocked to learn about the sad affairs in the State’s Education Department which is already facing a shortage of teachers. Two years since the State was born, Telangana had reported to the court in October 2015 that the total teacher vacancy in the State was 7,974 and the process to fill them up was still on.
With the court monitoring the condition of schools in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh in a petition filed by one JK Raju, a three-member lawyer panel headed by senior advocate Ashok Gupta submitted its report earlier this week pointing out that the problem was not limited to lack of teachers but absence of students as well.
An affidavit filed by Special Chief Secretary, Education Department of Telangana submitted that in the just concluded academic year of 2015-16, out of 18,139 primary schools in the state, 398 had zero enrolment, 980 schools received between 1-10 students and 2,333 schools reported having 11-20 students. The affidavit attributed the dearth in enrollment to migration of families from rural villages to cities, establishment of private schools with transport facilities, and entry age in private schools being 3+ compared to 5+ in Government schools .
The Bench observed, “The parents do have the responsibility to send the children to school but the State has the primary duty to create an atmosphere of faith so that the people at large believe that their children are going to be properly educated. Creation of awareness is imperative. It is rather sad, nay unfortunate, that a situation has emerged where there is zero enrollment in 398 schools.”
The court directed the lawyers committee to prepare a report by visiting the schools along with members of Telangana Parents Federation and assess the reasons for lack of interest among students to join Government schools. The court said that the need of the hour was to ensure that the Constitutional right to free and compulsory education for children upto the age of 14 years was fully realised.
The Bench said, “There has to be generation of enthusiasm, cultivation of spirit and interest for education and sustenance of culture to send the children to school.” The Committee is expected to submit its report to the court before May 10, the next date of hearing.