Parents urge Telangana government to improve education facilities

HYDERABAD: Members of the Telangana Parents Association (TPA), on Friday, took a dig at the state government for scheduling the Prof Jayashankar Badibata programme (admission drive), after completion of the admission process in private schools. Claiming that the programme is unlikely to yield any result now, they suggested that authorities concentrate on improving facilities in government schools in the state, instead.
The Badibata programme is a special enrolment drive where door-to-door campaigns and other awareness activities are conducted by headmasters and teachers to improve enrolment of students in government schools.
The drive is scheduled to be held in June, even as admission to most private schools are on the verge of completion.

“Parents strive hard to provide quality education to their children. They prefer English medium schools—which have the required number of teachers—and are inclined on joining their children in these schools right from kindergarten. To fulfil these requirements, parents opt for private schools,” said Nagati Narayana, president, TPA. He added that unless the state fulfils its requirements through the Badibata scheme, there is no point of the drive.
Also, the poor timing of the drive, TPA members reiterated, is likely to have an adverse impact. “Anyway, of the seven lakh students who join class 1 every year, only a little over two lakh opt for government schools. This year, the numbers might drop further,” said Pagadala Lakshmaiah, general secretary, TPA.
Members recommended that the state implement listening, talking, reading, writing methodology in government schools to impart better quality education. Teachers too made similar observations, while insisting that the Badibata drive would yield results only if the infrastructure of these schools is enhanced. They said that most parents prefer admitting their children in government-run residential schools as the facilities there are way better.
As part of the Badibata admission drive, the commissioner of school education set several targets for teachers. They have to ensure that there is a 100 per cent transition of students from one class to another, identify children who have completed five years in Anganwadi centres and impress upon them to government schools, among other targets. The state has also asked principals, teachers and school management committees to draw plans for door-to-door campaigning every day during the drive to be held this year.