Latest news with #R.VenkatReddy
The Hindu
22-07-2025
- General
- The Hindu
‘Remedial education must be a sustained component in schooling system'
Remedial education in schools, to improve learning abilities of children, must not be seen as an add-on facility but a core and sustainable component in the schooling system. This will not only enhance learning but also ensure equity and inclusion. That was the consensus of academics, practitioners, voluntary organisations in the field of children education, and school officials, at the consultative workshop on remedial teaching in schools conducted by Telangana Education Commission (TEC), here on Tuesday. TEC chairman Akunuri Murali observed that the consultation was important, in the wake of poor comprehension levels and foundational learning crisis. 'Many students lacking basic competency are not only losing their valuable time but also confidence and dignity. The structural issues, including multi-grade classrooms and limited focus on early education in Anganwadis, have compounded the crisis,' he noted. According to Reddy of MV Foundation, which extensively works with out-of-school children, those who are capable of learning given the right environment. Start from what learners already know, recognise diversity in classroom and create a democratic learning space, he suggested. For Ram Babu of Pratham, Mumbai-based organisation, who inferred from Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) trends, adopting 'Teaching at the Right Level (TaRL)' interventions in the State would help better foundation skills. Professors at the Indira Mahindra School of Education Shikha Takker and Mythili Sastry also emphasised the need for strong conceptual foundation in Mathematics and the importance of school leadership in remedial teaching. further raised a question: 'Should remedial education be time-bound or integrated as a continuous support system throughout the academic year?' Sharing similar experiences, a teacher from Khammam cited examples of short-term intensive interventions, an organisation said story books and reading sessions can be effective tools while another suggested separate tutors round the year and embedding remedial education in welfare hostels and schools through volunteers.
The Hindu
27-05-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
‘Only sufficient budget can save government school education system'
Leaders and voluntary organisations on Tuesday said that only sufficient budget allocation can save the public-school education system amid a declining enrolment trend in government schools in the State. A roundtable organised by Telangana People's Joint Action Committee (TPJAC) deliberated on the issues and challenges being faced by government schools and called for a comprehensive education legislation. 'Starting from age three to 18, the government must address pre-primary school and intermediate education needs. Then, on the lines of Kendriya Vidyalayas, a student must be able to pursue KG to 12 from the same school,' national convenor of MV Foundation R. Venkat Reddy said. TPJAC co-convenor Kanneganti Ravi, citing 2023-24 school data, said 'There were 28,856 schools (70.5%) government schools with 19,40,964 children enrolled (39%). Schools with a single teacher were 4,235 (23%) and schools with below 50 students were 13,930 (76%). On the other hand, there were 12,022 (29.4%) private schools and they had 36,35,898 (61%) students. And in 2024-25, 1,789 government schools were closed.' If the government is not bothered about schools being shut, if parents, teachers and citizens are not worried, and if no corrective actions are taken now – there will be no government schools in the future, the TPJAC leaders noted. The government's flagship programmes such as Young India Integrated Residential Schools (YIIRS) are not an answer to improving the system but taking care of existing schools and reopening schools that are closed, they said. Another leader K. Ravi Chander, citing 1,023 gurukul institutions in the State, said the YIIRS as an idea must be withdrawn. 'At ₹200 crore for YIIRS per Assembly constituency, or ₹23,800 crore, 700 residential institutions operating on rental basis can have their own buildings. Instead, the various gurukuls such as SC, BC, ST, Minorities and General can be renamed YIIRS, and all the 1,023 institutions must be administered by one management with unified rules'. According to retired teacher Y. Ashok Kumar, the education budget allocated by the Congress government in 2025-26 is ₹23,108 crore or 7.75% of the total estimate, which is ₹1,816 crore more than the previous year. But the Congress party rallied and promised a 15% education budget. MLC Kodandaram, in a brief address, said the government considers budget for education as an investment and initiatives such as the Telangana Education Commission were in a positive direction. The TPJAC had been gathering reactions from parents, teachers and public using Google Forms about their perception towards government schools and the declining enrolment. It proposes to submit its report along with people's perceptions to the government.
