Only 17 students left: Schools in Telangana village show rural education crisis

Just five new students joined this academic year. She said many parents are choosing Gurukula schools or private institutions if they can afford them. “Only children from the SC colony are enrolling here. We are trying to make sure there are no dropouts. Ramesh is also making efforts to stop students from leaving midway,” she said.

But for several parents, the decision is tied to economics. Saidamma Deepika, mother of a Class 4 student, said she has been sending her child to a government school for six years because private school fees are beyond her reach.

“The teaching here is good. We choose government schools due to financial constraints,” she said.

Political leaders and villagers believe government policy has intensified the problem.

Ashok, a CPM mandal leader from Motapuram, said he studied in the same government school. He blamed government inaction for the decline in enrolment.

“The push for private education and the belief that English-medium schools are superior are major reasons. The government must strengthen English-medium teaching and improve basic infrastructure in government schools,” he said.

He added that government teachers are better trained than many private school teachers.

Villager Chava Ramesh said the state has not invested enough in public schools. He said poor infrastructure and the lack of upgrades have pushed parents towards private options.

“Student strength is falling day by day. Parents want English education. The government has not taken strong steps to stop this trend,” he said.

Mandal Education Officer Chalapati Rao said there are 58 government schools in Nelakondapally mandal. In 2023, schools in Motapuram and Rajeshwarapuram were closed due to zero admissions. Teachers from those schools were transferred elsewhere.

He said the Rajeshwarapuram school was built for the children of sugar factory workers. But as the factory stopped functioning, many workers migrated, leaving no students behind. With no enrolment, the school had to be shut down.

The situation in Motapuram shows how migration, financial pressure and parental preferences are reshaping education patterns in rural Telangana, leaving government schools struggling to retain students.