HYDERABAD: The State government’s decision to provide transportation allowance to 20,012 students from 1,901 habitations across the State that do not have schools has failed to draw any appreciation from teachers, who feel that it had not benefited the students.
Though the government is required to pay Rs 300 per student a month towards transportation, the disbursement, done by Mandal Revenue Officer, however, is erratic. A sum of Rs 6 cr for 2018-19 academic year has been pending. Against this backdrop, students are forced to either make their own transport arrangements, walk several kilometres or in the worst case drop out of schools.
“We are demanding that instead of paying allowance for transportation the government should provide transport facility for students. After completion of primary school, the students either cycle to go to high school, take autos or sometimes cover 4-5 km distance on foot,” said Raghushanker Reddy, state president, Democratic Teachers Association.
Safety and security is another concern for parents. While autos are mostly overcrowded, walking long distances is not a great option either. Chava Ravi, general secretary, Telangana State United Teachers Federation, says this is also leading to a number of dropout among students.“In several habitations, there are only one or two children. Picking up students from different habitations is not economically viable but would also be time-consuming as the vehicle would have to go in different directions to pick up a couple of students from each habitation. However, despite all its shortcomings, providing transport facility to students is a better option,” he said.
Recently, BJP state president K Laxman flayed the government for not providing transportation which resulted in the murder and rape of three students in Hajipur.
Educationists have for long criticised the government’s move to merge all such schools within a mandal that have poor student strength or have no teachers. The Right to Education Act, however, states that education is right of each child and each village should have a functional school. Several court cases are pending in this regard.
“ Even the 1,901 habitations where the government claims that there are no schools, have been merged with others in the mandal. In June, some 4,000 more primary schools are expected to be closed and another 1,000 high schools would be merged,” said R Sarwotham Reddy, president, Telangana Progressive Teachers Association. He added that even if there are some 4-5 students enrolled in government school, as per the law the government cannot wind up the school.