Harish Rao writes to CM on ‘worsening’ state schools and hostels

Hyderabad: Former Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) minister and Siddipet MLA Harish Rao wrote a letter on Monday, September 16, to Telangana chief minister Revanth Reddy, drawing concerns over state run schools and hostels. The BRS leader implored the chief minister to provide better environment and safety to the students of the SC, ST, BC, and Minority welfare hostels and Gurukul schools in the state.

Harish Rao asked the Revanth Reddy government in his letter to be responsible for the alleged death of 40 students in Telangana government schools and hostels in 2024. He added that 715 students have been hospitalised in 2024 due to various ailments that the students got while studying in the schools and hostels in Telangana.

Harish Rao accused the Congress government in Telangana for pushing 20,000 out of the 26,287 total schools in dire conditions within nine months of coming into power. With 1,864 schools being empty, without any students, and 9,609 schools without 100 students.

The Siddipet MLA also criticised the government’s handling of the Gurukul Schools in Telangana, on the background of multiple instances of food poisoning among the students in just this academic year being reported.

Harish Rao went on to say that the Gurukuls, once hailed as units of excellence, now have become “breeding grounds for diseases”, where he alleged students face dangers like snake bites, rat bites, and dog bites, other than the risking getting infected communicable hostels. Students from marginalised and under priveleged students are having to face the brunt of the negligence towards the government run schools in the state.

The MLA put forward multiple demands through the letter on behalf of the Bharat Rashtra Samithi to the Telangana chief minister to improve the state run schools. Some of them include reopening the closed schools in the state, and employing Vidya Volunteers to fill the vacancies to ensure uninterrupted teaching.

Harish Rao also demanded reinstating of breakfast in the schools, which he said has been suspended for months. He asked tge Telangana chief minister to provide improved sanitation and insect proofing at the school hostels, and provide safe food to the students.