Four months on, Telangana schools yet to receive grants

Even after four months into the academic year, the State government has not sanctioned and released the grants

Hyderabad: Four months into the academic year 2024-25, the government and local body schools across the State do not have necessary funds for purchasing stationery with the Congress government yet to release the composite school grant.

The composite school grant is meant for purchasing stationery, including chalk pieces, dusters, white papers, registers etc., and conducting examinations in the month of June. The grants are also used for celebrating national festivals i.e., Independence Day and Republic Day besides for paying the electricity bills and internet charges in the school. The grant is decided based on the enrollment in the schools.

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Every year, the State government releases 50 per cent of the composite school grant meant in June and during the academic year 2023-24, the first installment to the tune of Rs. 34.95 crore was released in June. However, this year, even after four months of the academic year, the State government has not sanctioned and released the grants.

The delay in releasing the grant has created significant challenges and financial strain on the schools. Headmasters, faced with mounting expenses and no immediate support from the government, have been forced to cover the cost of the stationery from their own pockets, hoping to receive reimbursement once the government releases the funds.

“During the Independence Day celebrations, the school has to make necessary arrangements including purchase of sweets for students. In the absence of grants, the headmasters were forced to shell out from their pockets. We want the government to immediately look into the issue and release the grants accordingly,” said a headmaster.

This apart, the schools are grappling with the issue of grants for sanitation works. According to headmasters, Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy announced special funds for sanitation maintenance in schools during a meeting organised with promoted teachers at LB Stadium on August 2.

School Education director A Narasimha Reddy recently directed district collectors to release the school facility maintenance grants from the district mineral fund trust to Amma Adarsha Patashala Committees (AAPC) of the respective schools.

Stating that school facility maintenance grants for taking up sanitation works in the schools have not been released in many districts, Telangana State Gazetted Headmasters’ Association in a representation urged the School Education director to initiate appropriate action and release the grant to AAPCs. The headmasters also urged the director to issue guidelines for utilizing the funds.

Principal Secretary to Government (Education) Burra Venkatesham was unavailable for comment when reached over a phone call.