Hyderabad: The Covid-19 lockdown and the subsequent financial crises have left a trail of destruction on budget schools especially in the old city and if the reports are to believe many of them are on the verge of closure.
It is said that several schools have already languished into financial trouble as they can’t even able to pay the rents of the buildings they hired to run the academics, leave alone the salaries to the staff and the teachers.
“Unable to withstand the financial constraints arise out of pandemic, several schools have decided to close down their academies and shift their profession similar to the teachers who were forced to do odd jobs after losing their jobs,” informed Advocate Akther Shareef, State President Telangana Private Schools Forum, (TPSF).
There are, he said, several reports of landlords pressurizing the school owners either to pay the rent or else vacant the premises. “Repayment of EMI’s on loan, taken by the owners to arrange the infrastructure in the schools, also taking a heavy toll on their mental health. We have completely stuck in a situation where we find no way out but to close the doors of the schools. The future of school children is the only concern that is keeping the management away from taking any drastic decision that may cause huge damage to both the stakeholders such as parents as well as the school management,” asserted Akhter Shareef.
“While the government has instructed the schools, associated with the state board of education, not to pressurize the parents for fees of the new academic year, the collection of arrears also became difficult as the parents are simply avoiding the same citing financial constraints,” he bemoaned.
“There are 10,984 recognized budged schools in entire Telangana state wherein around 33 lakh students are enrolled. Only 5 districts such as Hyderabad, Rangareddy, Medchal, Vicarabad, and Sangareddy have 4,500 budget schools wherein 16 lakhs students are pursuing their academics. This means the students of these five districts alone accounts for over 50% of the whole strength enrolled in the state. Moreover, out of 5.34 lakh, students enrolled in 10th class, around two lakh students come from these five districts, explained Yadagiri Shekar Rao, President Telangana Recognised Schools Management Association (TRSMA).
Teaching and non-teaching staff, he said, collectively accounts for 5 lakhs in these schools. However, 30 to 40 percent of the staff have already left their jobs due to the non-payment of salaries. They are doing odd jobs and labor work in their native places. This situation is just the tip of an iceberg. There are so many similar accounts of misery which are the direct results of lockdown,” he contended.
“The illiteracy rate, for sure, will go up to 77% from the present 33% in the next two to three years if the situation continues to remain. There is no wax eloquent in saying that only the rich people can afford to educate their children while the children of poor families will be forced to become labour if the present situation continues to prevail,” he asserted.