NALGONDA: Private schools once lured parents with promises of “quality education”. But in Antampet village under Gattuppala mandal, the tide is turning. This year, 49 students left private institutions for the local government primary school — drawn by better facilities, caring teachers and even a charming perk: birthday celebrations with chocolates from the headmaster. As Nalgonda’s public schools rise to the challenge, they are not just competing with private players; they are outshining them.
Antampet’s primary school is a case in point. Last year, it had 47 students; this year, with 49 transfers from four private schools, enrolment has doubled to 96. The school, which runs classes 1 to 5, is staffed by six dedicated teachers.
A key factor in its success is that the teachers live locally and share close ties with villagers, giving parents greater confidence in enrolling their children here. Until recently, most students travelled 5–10 km to private schools in Marriguda or the Gattuppala mandal headquarters — paying high fees for what parents now say was subpar education, while also worrying about their children’s safety on buses and vans.
Now, parents cite a long list of reasons for the switch: English-medium instruction, a library, quality midday meals, free textbooks and special classes for academically weaker students.
Veeramalla Ashok, a kirana shop owner, tells TNIE that he has enrolled his three children, two daughters and a son, in the local government primary school. Earlier, they studied at a private school in Gattuppal. He says he made the switch after finding the education at the government school better than what his children were getting at the private institution. Ashok adds that despite being financially well-off, he opted for the government school because its teachers appeared more qualified and better trained than their private school counterparts.
Pusapati Shekhar, a TGSRTC bus conductor, shares a similar experience. His daughter was studying in a private school in Gattuppal till Class 4. However, after noticing a lack of progress in her studies and observing the dedication of the local headmaster and teachers, he enrolled her in the Anthampet government school for Class 5 this academic year. He says the special attention given by teachers to students’ education was a key factor in his decision.
Headmaster Aitaraju Nagaiah says the staff went door-to-door to explain the facilities and the value of keeping children in the village school. Well-lit, spacious classrooms, clean toilets, purified drinking water, fans and a tidy campus have further boosted confidence.
The school also runs small but effective initiatives. If a student is absent, parents are informed by phone or visited at home. Teachers taste the midday meal before serving it to students. Birthdays are celebrated during the morning assembly, with chocolates distributed by the headmaster at his own expense.
In just a year, these efforts have transformed a once-overlooked rural school into a model for others — proving that public education, when done right, can win back parents’ trust and children’s enthusiasm.
