Hyderabad: A majority of the MLAs and MLCs in TS tend to draw their purse strings when it comes to spending from their Constituency Development Programme funds for strengthening of state schools.
Following Supreme Court directions to strengthen government schools, the government had asked each MLA and MLC to grant Rs 1 crore of the Rs 5 crore allotted to them under CDP to provide basic facilities in schools.
However, not even 25 per cent of 180 MLAs and MLCs came forward to grant funds despite repeated reminders during the last four months.
Deputy Chief Minister Kadiam Srihari, who holds the education portfolio, had himself written to each and every MLA/ MLC seeking financial assistance. However, most of the MLAs and MLCs are okay with releasing funds for roads etc., but not for schools.
The Supreme Court had rapped the TS government for deciding to close 300 ‘zero enrolment’ schools early this year and dispatched teams to the districts to find out the reasons.
The reports sent to the SC said that because of lack of basic facilities like water, toilets, benches, chalk etc. in the government schools, parents were wary of admitting their wards in them. The reports said that though people hailing from weaker sections can’t afford private schools, they send their wards there by incurring debts. Following this, the SC directed the TS government to take steps to strengthen government schools.
In this backdrop, the government decided to strengthen schools in each Assembly constituency by spending Rs 5 crore, under which each MLA and MLC should contribute Rs 1 crore and the remaining Rs 3 crore would be sanctioned from Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan. The target was to mobilise Rs 595 crore.
However, only 40 of the 180 MLAs/MLCs gave their consent. The legislators say since the TRS government is focussing on setting up residential schools, they are confused whether it will be of any use if they grant funds for the existing schools which are non-residential.
Teacher MLC P. Sudhakar Reddy said, “Most of the development works being taken up in schools are benefitting contractors rather than students. For this reason, we are not keen on giving funds to schools. Moreover, the government started setting up hundreds of residential schools from this year. Who will take admissions in the existing schools when the government is providing free hostels and food facility in residential schools?”
