Over 3,000 Telangana habitations lack schools forcing 21,806 children to travel to distant areas for education

A total of 385 settlements do not have primary schools, 1,955 lack upper primary schools and 2,158 are without a high school

Hyderabad: A total of 3,179 settlements (habitations) in Telangana State lack schools forcing students to travel to distant areas for education. According to the data released by the School Education Department, around 21,806 children, including 13,219 in remote areas, reside in these habitations.

Khammam district with 276 accounts for the highest number of school-less habitations. Bhadradri Kothagudem and Siddipet districts follow, with 259 and 241 settlements without schools, respectively.

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A total of 385 settlements do not have primary schools, 1,955 lack upper primary schools and 2,158 are without a high school.

As per the Right to Education Act, 2009, State governments must establish a primary school within a walking distance of a kilometre of the neighbourhood. For children between Class VI and VIII, a school should be set up within a walking distance of three km from the place of their dwelling.

In the absence of educational institutions in the neighbourhood, children are forced to travel longer distances where schools are located. For this, the State government is providing Rs 6,000 per annum for a child towards the transportation charges and Rs 13.08 crore was released for transportation charges on Tuesday for the academic year 2024-25.