Badi Bata bears fruit as 20,500 students shift from private to govt schools in Telangana

Hyderabad: The Badi Bata programme, currently underway in government Schools, has garnered a positive response in both the city and surrounding districts. A significant number of students attending government schools in the city have transitioned from private schools.

According to the education department’s data, a total of 91,352 students have registered through the Badi Bata programme, out of which approximately 20,500 students come from private schools. Comparatively, during the enrolment drive last year, around 169,280 students were enrolled in government schools.

According to teachers, there has been a notable increase in the response for this academic year compared to the previous year. Many students from private schools, particularly in Hyderabad, are enrolling in English medium education. However, the response in various districts across Telangana is relatively low, primarily due to a lack of adequate teaching resources. Parents are hesitant to enrol their children due to this concern. It is observed that the majority of enrolments are taking place for English medium, while the response for Telugu and Urdu medium education is comparatively low.

“It is more than eight days since the door-to-door enrolment campaign has started, this year we have received a positive response from parents, with many expressing a desire to join their children in government schools, as many private schools have hiked the fees is the reason and also as many government schools are being facelifted,” said V Prasad , Hindi teacher at Government High School Boy ,Kachiguda.

“Throughout our campaign, we have noticed a significant preference among parents for English medium education compared to other mediums. In previous academic years, we faced challenges in securing admissions, but this year, the response has been notably positive. As soon as schools reopen, we anticipate accepting more admissions to accommodate the increased demand for English medium education.” said M Ramana, government school teacher.

Chava Ravi, Telangana State United Teachers' Federation (TSUTF), said, “While the efforts to enhance the quality of education in government schools are commendable, the issue of teacher vacancies is indeed a concern. It has been observed that there is a shortage of teaching staff, particularly in primary sections, with approximately 21,000 teacher positions remaining vacant for several years. Although the enrollment drive in Hyderabad has received a positive response, the situation in districts is lukewarm. Many parents have expressed their concerns regarding the insufficient number of teachers and questioned why they should enroll their children under these circumstances. Addressing the shortage of teaching staff is crucial to ensure the effective implementation of educational initiatives and provide students with the quality education they deserve.”