HYDERABAD: The decision of Telangana Minority Residential Education School (TMREIS) to move a minority residential school for girls from Shalibanda to Malakpet Gunj has come under sharp criticism from parents of around 300 children who study in the school. The move comes as part of the plans of TMREIS to shift students of three minority residential schools for girls - Shahlibada, Golkonda and Saidabad to a new facility at Malakpet Gunj, which it claims is an attempt to provide better facilities for the students.
While the school’s Principal, N Hussain said that there is no official confirmation about government’s plan of shifting the school, Vice-Chairman of TMREIS, AK Khan said, “Some campuses are cramped. Last year, to get schools functioning at the earliest, some of them were started in buildings which were not as per our requirement. We have been on the lookout for better places. Whenever we get something better we relocate the schools,”
A major reason why many parents from the minority community were ready to send their girl children to residential schools was close proximity of school from the house. MMA Khalid, whose daughters study in classes 7 and 8, says, “Houses of most of the girls studying in the Shalibanda school are located in close proximity from the school. We used to meet our children regularly. Now with the school being planned to be shifted, the parents are skeptical.” TMREIS VC, Khan has assured that no decision will be taken without engaging in a dialogue with parents.
Overview of minority residential schools
Last year 71 minority residential schools were started, followed by 130 this year. Of these about 160 are functioning from leased buildings. Currently, seven buildings at the cost of D19 crore are under construction which are expected to get completed in 2-3 years. Lands at 35 locations have been identified and at 50 places land has already been acquired.