Schools in awful shape: Lok Satta

A Lok Satta sample survey of schools in the public sector in the State has revealed that they continue to be bereft of basic amenities even as the new academic year has begun.

Disclosing this at a media meet, party spokespersons V. Laxman Balaji and Mrs. Gita Murthy said that party volunteers had surveyed some schools in Greater Hyderabad and in Warangal, Nizamabad and Vizianagaram districts.

The survey shows that most schools do not have pucca buildings and in most schools classes are conducted in one or two rooms. Most teachers happen to be volunteers and most of the schools do not have drinking water or toilet facilities. Women teachers in primary schools on Hydernagar Road and in Martanda Nagar, the Zilla Parishad School on Nizampet road and the Urdu school in Hafizpet are forced to knock at neighbor’s doors for want of toilet facilities. The funds earmarked for provision of basic amenities in the Nizampet school were diverted for purchase of 40 computers but all of them remain unutilized. Although there are 800 girl students in three municipal schools in Vizianagaram town, none of them has a toilet.

In addition, students have to reckon with shortage of textbooks and teachers awaiting transfers.

The spokespersons pointed out that the Government has launched a drive for student enrolment in schools with great fanfare. But without providing basic amenities, the Government could not expect the students to excel in their studies. No wonder, even the poorer sections are forced to send their wards to private schools for better education.

The Lok Satta Party has decided to adopt the school on Hydernagar Road in Serilingampalli Assembly constituency and develop it as a model school, said the spokespersons.