Shortage of textbooks annoys students in Telangana

Nizamabad: Shortage of textbooks is forcing the students to go to schools with empty hands on day one of the new academic year which begins on June 12. Shortage of textbooks was common phenomena in united Andhra Pradesh, but the trend is continuing even after formation of Telangana state.

In Nizamabad district, education department officials estimated that 13 lakh textbooks would be required for the students of Class I to X of Telugu, English, Hindi and Urdu media. In view of newly-formed state, the officials did not figure old stock of textbooks for this academic year. However, they received only 10 lakh textbooks only so far.

Usually, the textbooks reach government textbooks depot in Mirchi compound of Nizamabad city. Later, the textbooks are transported to mandal stock points and then reach respective schools. As per the schedule, all the textbooks must reach schools prior to reopening of the schools, but it didn’t happen.

Speaking to this newspaper, the district education officer S. Srinivasa Chary said that distribution of textbooks is continuing smoothly in the district. He admitted that there was a shortage of textbooks and hoped that remaining books will reach very soon.

“We are taking  measures to make available books to the students at least by the first week of new academic year” he added.

A parent of Class X student, A. Rajender, regretted that education department officials failed to prepare action plan to make available books at least by the reopening day of the schools. “The government should concentrate on the future of the students,” he opined.

Meanwhile, increasing fee structure in various private schools in the district is worrying the parents of students. As schools are slated to reopen on June 12, after summer vacatio-ns, parents are finding ways to pay the increa-sed fee in private scho-ols. Government has done little to check the arbitrary hike in fees by various schools. Parents of private employees, who get meagre salaries, are having a tough time trying to cough up the fee amount. One of the leading private schools has hiked fees by about 50 per cent.

“When my daughter got admission in this school in 2012, the yearly fee was only Rs 10, 000 per first class. From this year, I am supposed to pay Rs 25,000 per year,” P. Praveen, a parent, said.

There are three types of private schools in Khammam and other towns in Khammam district. One type of school charges Rs 30,000 for first standard students and Rs 1 lakh for students of other classes. The second type of school collects Rs 20, 000 fee for first class students and Rs 70, 000 for students of other classes. In the third type, fees range from Rs 15, 000 to Rs 5,40, 000 from first to tenth class.

To send both our daughters to private schools, we would have had to make additional sacrifice,” K. Jyothi, a parent, said. She said that the school managements are extracting additional money from them in the name of notebooks, dresses and other material.

“There is a GO on collecting capitation fees or donations, but there is no attempt on the part of the government on implementing the GO,” P. Srinivas, teach-er working in government schools said.