Don’t close schools in Adivasi and rural areas: Telangana Save Education Committee
The Telangana Save Education Committee demanded that the government withdraw its orders to close schools in hamlets, tandas, villages and areas with significant Adivasi population, saying such a move was anti-Adivasi and anti-rural.
Committee chairmen K. Chakradhara Rao, G. Haragopal and K. Lakshminarayana reminded Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy of his comments at The Hindu Huddle organized in Bengaluru.
Mr. Reddy said that schools were set up in Gond and Lambadi villages in remote areas at a time when there were no transport facilities and that the model was now obsolete. He also said orders have been issued to close 23,000 schools in such hamlets and villages.
The leaders further alleged that Mr. Reddy and the Congress government have done nothing but talk about improving government schools. “They are implementing the same pro-corporate education policy that the previous BRS regime followed. This Congress government has in the past violated its own manifesto promise to allocate 15% of funds for education if it came to power,” they noted.
They further noted that the idea of sending buses to pick up students’ homes is unrealistic, especially when the government allocates one of the lowest shares of funding to education in the country.
They argued that Mr. Revanth Reddy’s approach of closing about 23,000 schools would weaken government schools and drive thousands of Adivasis, Dalits, poor and rural students out of education. They added that the policy of “rationalisation”, which they termed as irrational and harmful to Adivasi and rural students, must be stopped immediately.
The committee demanded that at least 20% of government funds be allocated to the education sector, that pre-primary education be introduced in every primary school with adequate equipment and trained teachers, and that measures be taken to ensure at least one teacher and one class in each year so that quality education is provided to all.
Published – 09 Jun 2026 0:13 IST