Why did academics and activists sleep in Telangana schools | Explainer

Representative image. | Photo Credit: K.V. Ramana

The story so far

The state of schools and teaching has been in the spotlight nationally. In Telangana, a collective of academics, bureaucrats and activists known as the Telangana People’s Front was on a 12-day tour of districts in the State to understand and highlight the state of schools called ‘Vidya Bus Yatra’. 

Why is this being done now?

Budgetary support for education has declined to a single-digit percentage of the State outlay and has remained so over the past decade. After the formation of the Congress government by A. Revanth Reddy, a Telangana Education Commission was formed under former IAS officer Akunuri Murali to suggest measures to improve the sector. After his two-year term with the commission expired, Mr. Murali quit the commission and has take up cudgels for reform and started the ‘Vidya Bus Yatra’.

Is there a road map for improving schools?

The Telangana Education Commission submitted a 354-page report after visiting 305 institutions over 14 months in all 33 districts. The report has four annexures that are draft Bills that lay out a clear map to reinforce and rebuild the education sector in Telangana. Also sketched out was a six-phase plan to upgrade the infrastructure at a total cost of ₹31,600 crores, staggered across five years. It also created a checklist on what constitutes a Telangana Foundation School.