Schools in parts of Telangana are likely to face disruption today as the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) has called for a state-wide school federation, raising concerns over fee structure in private schools, infrastructure and staff shortage in government schools. The student organization announced the closure as part of protests seeking education reforms in private and public schools.The band’s call led several private and corporate schools, especially in Hyderabad, to declare a holiday in response to the protests. ABVP appealed to students, parents and school managements to support the move and said long-pending issues affecting school education require immediate attention of the state government.Toll regulation becomes focus of protestsA key demand raised by the ABVP is to bring stringent laws to regulate fees in private and corporate schools. The group claims some institutions are raising fees without adequate oversight, putting a financial burden on parents.ABVP also opposes practices such as compulsory purchase of uniforms and other school-related requirements. The group said greater transparency was needed in admissions, academic and fee structures and called for measures to prevent arbitrary price increases.The student body is seeking an overhaul of nearly 23,000 private schools in Telangana. It calls for setting up a dedicated body to oversee charging practices, inspect institutions and oversee annual fee revisions.Needs related to public schoolsIn addition to fee regulation, the ABVP also raises concerns about public schools. The group opposes the state’s proposed school rationalization policy, claiming it could affect thousands of public schools.Student groups have also highlighted delays in the government’s distribution of school uniforms, noting that many students have yet to receive their uniforms despite the start of the academic year.ABVP further demanded immediate recruitment to fill vacant teaching and non-teaching posts in government schools. It also called for appointments to key administrative posts, including mandal education officers and district education officers.Infrastructure and policy issues highlightedThe organization urged the government to improve infrastructure in educational institutions, including construction of permanent buildings for Gurukul residential schools. It also seeks stricter monitoring of the mid-day meal scheme to improve food quality and prevent food poisoning incidents.Its demands include implementation of fee regulation measures, implementation of 25% reservation for financially needy students in private schools, and implementation of NEP-2020 provisions on school education.Responses to Band’s announcement on social media reflected the concerns of some parents, who questioned whether closing schools would benefit students while disrupting classes at the start of the school year.
