Praveen Kumar hits out at Telangana govt for neglecting education sector

BRS leader R.S. Praveen Kumar criticizes Telangana government for neglecting education sector, highlighting lack of focus and funding.

HYDERABAD

Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leader and former IPS officer R.S. Praveen Kumar has criticised the Telangana government for neglecting the education sector, stating that while the number of students in State-run schools is gradually declining, ‘there’s no Minister for Education’ to review the situation and take corrective measures.

Addressing a press conference in Hyderabad on Friday (August 30, 2024), he said Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy had kept the Education portfolio with him but had not taken pains in reviewing the department.

With winter just a couple of months away, students in government schools and hostels are yet to be given uniforms, shoes and woollen rugs. Though the Congress claimed its regime as people’s rule (‘praja palana’), rule of vengeance was put to practice neglecting several priority sectors such as education and health, Mr. Praveen Kumar said.

The managements of private colleges, particularly the ones offering professional courses, were not issuing the memorandum of marks and other certificates to the graduating students due to non-release of fee reimbursement dues. He reminded the Congress government that the previous BRS regime had developed residential educational institutions as centres of excellence (CoEs), helping students from lower strata of society get into MBBS, IIT and other courses.

Alleging that the Congress government planned to give residential educational institutions a slow death by denying funds, he said the guest faculty in those CoEs were not getting their salaries for the last four months as a ploy to force them to discontinue teaching/ leave their jobs. He sought to know why the Chief Minister had such animosity towards residential educational institutions.

He pointed out that the Congress had promised ₹5 lakh per student under Vidya Bharosa scheme for pursuing higher education, but not a single rupee had been spent on the scheme so far. He also appealed against tying up with religious organisations such as Akshaya Patra and Brahmakumaris as the food prepared and supplied by them was not suitable for children in growing-up stage.