Hyderabad: Telangana Education Commission’s (TEC) proposed overhaul of school education linking promotions to performance and abolishing automatic advancement was “highly objectionable,” said TSUTF chief secretary A. Venkataiah, adding that such measures resembled corporate culture and should not be applied to teaching. The union opposed any suggestion of salary reduction or apprenticeship models and demanded that the state allocate at least 15 percent of the budget to education in the next financial year.
While backing proposals on school facilities, mid-day meals up to Intermediate and a larger share of the state budget for education, the union insisted that teacher-related changes cannot move forward without negotiation.
“The commission chairman’s comments on teachers’ salaries are regrettable,” said D. Ravi, president of the Telangana State United Teachers Federation (TSUTF). “Before implementing the policy, the government must hold discussions with teachers’ unions.”
The Telangana Recognised School Managements Association (TRSMA) welcomed the initiative to reform education and appreciated the consultative process. At the same time, it asked that private institutions be treated as partners rather than only as regulated entities.
TRSMA warned that uniform land and facility norms could lead to the closure of small and budget schools, particularly in rural and semi-urban areas. On fee regulation, it said it supported transparency and accountability but opposes arbitrary caps and any move to criminalise school managements. Rising operational costs, teacher salaries and statutory requirements must be factored into any fee decision, it said, proposing self-regulation models and structured parent-school consultations.
When it comes to parents’ groups, there is a sense of hopelessness. “I have been raising these issues since my younger son was in LKG. In another year and a half, my younger son will finish his Intermediate. Even then, I don’t see this report reaching the Assembly and becoming law. If it has taken this long just to produce a report, I am not very confident about what will happen next,” said Venkat Sainath, Hyderabad Parents Association.
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