Closure of schools rakes up old issues in Telangana

HYDERABAD:  Schools that started physical classes just last month have again been closed due to the resurgent Coronavirus infection. Parents are unhappy that they had to pay full fee for classes that have hardly been held.

Private teachers are sad that just when they hoped their livelihood is getting secure, getting salaries has once again come in doubt. Some schools that provide transport and food facilities are being charged with collecting the fee when their kids are continuing to remain at home. Deccan Chronicle spoke to parents, teachers and Hyderabad district educational officer (DEO) R. Rohini in this regard.

Salla Prasad, whose son is a student in Hyderabad Public School, Ramanthapur, said, “The school has charged full fees as well as for transport and food, which have not been provided from the time of the lockdown.” Prasad said the school management is harsh with them when questioned. Neither has government come to rescue of parents, he said.

G. Subbalaxmi, women’s wing president of Telangana Private Teachers’ Forum, said, “Private schools had removed most of the staff during the lockdown. Only a few teachers were working for half of their salary for taking online classes, though the managements were collecting full fee from students.”

Subbalaxmi said their forum had made many representations to the education authorities but they were of no help. “When schools restarted on February 1, we teachers had some hope of life getting back to normal. But closedown of schools has made us sad,” she remarked.

Deccan Chronicle interacted with R. Rohini, DEO, Hyderabad, in this regard.

Why are private schools charging full fee and what action has the government taken against them?

GO 46 clearly says only the tuition fee is to be collected from students during this period. There are around 1,800 private schools in Hyderabad. About 10 to 15 of them are violating the norms. Parents’ associations have filed cases against those schools.

Parents are saying managements have been charging them for transportation and food even though the classes are online.

Not a single such complaint has been lodged with us so far. If parents do not come forward who can we do? They can even email their complaints to deo-hyderabad@yahoo.com

Most schools are not paying teachers their salaries. In many cases, partial salaries are being paid.

Apart for 15 to 20 private schools, others are low budget schools. Many students of those schools have not paid their fees. Because of that managements are in a tough situation. Still, we are trying to reach out to schools are helping teachers get their salaries.

There is a demand from parents about conducting this year’s exams online. What do you have to say about it?

Most students come from lower income families. They cannot afford gadgets. We are telecasting classes, which some are watching at their neighbours’ homes. Taking exams online will be difficult.