Parents are slowly shifting their children to government schools from private schools due to which there is a sudden surge in the number of admissions in government schools.
This is because several private schools in Telangana have started demanding tuition fee arrears from parents for their wards to continue education in these institutions.
Many people could not pay fees for their children in the last two years due to the pandemic.
Principal of Government Ravindra Model Primary School in Sangareddy district, L. Keerthana, is admitting children only for classes I and II, as it is not possible to accommodate all the students seeking admission. So far, 62 students were admitted, out of which 17 are from private schools.
There is another government primary school and two high schools in the same building. As the infrastructure is good here, parents are preferring these schools.
“During last year, we turned down the request of about 100 students for admissions in classes III, IV and V, as the strength had already touched 80 in each class. They were referred to the neighbouring schools,” Ms. Keerthana told The Hindu.
Last year, the school strength reached a total of 420 combining all the five classes but remained at 381 at the end of the year, as only some students got admission in hostels and some left due to congested accommodation in classrooms.
According to Sangareddy District Education Officer (DEO) Nampally Rajesh, about 9,000 students got themselves admitted in government schools last year from private schools, whereas in the current year, the admissions stood at 3,000 so far.
There are 1,262 government schools in the district and 449 private schools. However, no private school was officially closed so far last year or this year.
Almost all private schools are demanding the arrears of fees for the last two years from parents if they want admission for the third year of academic education. Even to issue a transfer certificate (TC), they are first demanding payment of arrears.
The pending fee varies between ₹45,000 and ₹90,000 depending on schools. Unable to pay fees, parents are now shifting their wards to government schools.
“When I asked for a TC for my son Abhishek Reddy, the private school denied saying that first, I have to pay the arrears for two years, which comes to around ₹30,000. Now, it is not possible for me to shift him to a private school. So, I have admitted him to the government school at Sadashivapet,” said J. Srinivas Reddy.
“No government school can deny admission to any student till class VIII. We have to admit them even if a student comes on the last day without TC, under Right to Education Act,” said B. Rajkumar, principal of a primary school at Konapaur village, where the school witnessed admission of 30 students.
