Telangana Schools Face Critical Challenges: UDISE+ Report 2023-24
The Union Ministry of Education has released the United District Information System for Education (UDISE+) Report 2023-24, highlighting several concerning issues in Telangana’s school education sector. The state has been ranked third in the country for the highest number of schools with zero enrollment, following West Bengal and Rajasthan.
Shockingly, around 2,000 teachers in Telangana are teaching at schools with no students. This bizarre scenario raises questions about the purpose of their roles in empty classrooms. On the other hand, nearly 88,429 students are being taught by single teachers in 5,985 schools across the state. Out of Telangana’s 42,901 schools, 11.8 percent have fewer than ten students enrolled, whereas only 8.7 percent of schools have more than 500 students. The total student enrollment across the state stands at 72,93,644, taught by 3,41,460 teachers across various school managements.
The report also reveals a declining trend in enrollment in government schools over the last three academic years, ending with 2023-24. This drop in student numbers is a major concern for the state’s education system.
While the upper primary level boasts a zero percent dropout rate, the picture changes drastically for secondary education. The dropout rate for secondary school students is 11.4 percent, with 9.5 percent of girls and 13.3 percent of boys leaving school before completing their education.
Adding to the challenges, infrastructure issues remain significant. A total of 2,017 girls’ schools and 4,823 boys’ schools lack proper toilet facilities, which directly impacts hygiene and student attendance. Additionally, 2,618 schools in Telangana are reported to be in unusable condition, further exacerbating the state’s education crisis.
The findings in the UDISE+ report bring to light the critical issues that need urgent attention to improve the state of education in Telangana.
