VIJAYAWADA: The municipal schools are facing a severe decline in students enrolment and a shortage of resources, particularly teachers.
These number of students decreased from over 4,30,000 to 3, 90,000 in the 2024-25 academic year, and the teachers fear that the situation may worsen in the coming days.
There are currently 335 high schools, among the 2,115 municipal schools across the State. Only 13,500 teachers are teaching about 3, 90,000 students.
State president of Municipal Teachers Federation S Rama Krishna emphasised, “Each high school lacks two or three subject teachers, leading parents to prefer private schools for their children’s future. There are approximately 2,400 vacancies for the posts of school assistants needed in high schools.” The situation is dire in schools like KNR High School in Nellore, which still displays a ‘No Vacancy’ board annually due to high demand.
Despite having 1,950 students, the school has 25 teachers, resulting in a student-teacher ratio of 78:1. “At least 20 more teachers are needed here,” said the school administration.
EV Krishna Rao, School Assistant, Tadepalligudem, told TNIE that Muddam Satynarayana Municipal School in Subbarao Peta which had 600 students earlier now has 420 students but only 11 teachers.
He said not a single promotion or transfer has been made in five years where there are gaps in municipal schools after monitoring undertaken by the school education department, he added.
However, EVM School in Tadepalligudem has seen its student numbers drop from 400 to 186, with just 13 teachers remaining. Mahatma Gandhi Municipal High School has 13 teachers for 226 students but needs six more subject teachers. In Guntur’s SRR Municipal High School, Gujjanagulla, there are 465 students but only 15 teachers. “We need at least 10 more teachers. Hindi has had no teachers for the past two years, and most teachers are SGTs who teach primary classes and are teaching high school students,” said in-charge Head Master, S Ramakrishna. “The lack of adequate teaching staff is severely impacting our children’s education. Immediate action is needed to fill those vacancies,” said Parents Committee member at SRR Municipal High School M Raji.
Since the municipal schools were brought under the education department’s supervision on June 24, 2022, the withdrawal of non-teaching staff has exacerbated the problems.
In addition to this, schools have faced maintenance issues. For the last two years, funds for school maintenance from Rs 50,000 to Rs 1 lakh based on the strength of the students have not been received, leaving headmasters to bear the costs of electricity, water, bathroom maintenance, and repairs from their own pockets, said EV Krishna Rao.
“Education Minister N Lokesh should focus on these issues,” stated Municipal Teachers Federation (MTF) State President S Ramakrishna.