HYDERABAD: The TRS government may have already fulfilled its poll promise of creating new districts, but there are a few other promises left unfulfilled. Case in point, the augmentation of the number of Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas (JNV) and Kendriya Vidyalayas (KV).
It may be mentioned that in order to set up both these types of schools, States require approval from the Centre. But in the last three years, since the new districts were created, neither the State government nor its sitting MPs were able to get these schools sanctioned for Telangana. Calling it ‘step-motherly’ treatment by the Centre, several parents and activists are raking up the issue in the run-up to the Lok Sabha elections.
“As per the Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya Samithi policy, each district is eligible for a JNV. But none has been sanctioned to the 21 new districts formed in State, in the last three years. Currently, we have only 10 JNVs for the erstwhile districts,” said Nagati Narayana, president of Telangana Parents Association (TPA).
Similar is the case with KVs in Telangana. Despite demand, there are only 31 KVs across the State. Earlier this month, the Centre had sanctioned 50 Kendriya Vidyalayas to various states but Telangana got none.
It may be recalled that in these three years, then Education Minister Kadiyam Srihari had raised the issue with Union HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar, in several meetings. In fact, Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao too had raised the issue in his meetings with the Prime Minister.
When contacted, Education Department secretary B Janardhan Reddy told Express that though no negative feedback has come from the Centre with regard to the setting up of the JNVs and KVs, they will push the request again post the Lok Sabha elections. “TPA is demanding assurance from the Centre that 21 JNVs and 10 KVs will be set up in the State from the next academic session. This will not only boost the literacy level, but also the quality of education. We wish to make this a poll issue,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Hyderabad chapter of Right to Education Forum is also meeting up with all MPs from State, along with their charter of demands to strengthen education and implementation of RTE Act. “The problem is that MPs have little to no understanding of the sector. When we approach them, they simply sign the document. But they lack the political will,” said Murali Mohan, State convenor of RTE Forum.