Leaders’ land interests block primary education for slum children Premium

A temporary primary school in Gabbilalpet, which was granted only a year ago faces closure owing to lack of permanent building; residents allege politicians’ role in thwarting the prospect of a permanent school.

The stench enters the nostrils before the outline of the humongous waste dump appears on the horizon, as one enters Gabbilalpet, a slum in the Jawahar Nagar corporation in Hyderabad.

A church, a temple and a dargah welcome visitors as they take a turn towards the locality from the Balaji Nagar main road. Two more temples, and a mosque can be found further inside.

The area, populated by families that work in the Jawahar Nagar dumpyard and other daily wage labourers, lacks a proper government primary school within one-kilometre radius as stipulated under the Right to Education Act, 2009. Threat of closure looms large on a temporary school which was granted only a year ago after much persuasion.

The Medchal-Malkajgiri district’s education officials hurriedly granted approval for this school put together by activists working locally, after the State human rights commission took cognisance of the issue of lack of a school in proximity. A school at Anthaipally, which had been shut down, was relocated to Gabbilalpet, as there was no sanction from the government for new schools.

“Officials said they would set up a school only if a rent-free building was available. A local resident came forward and gave his house for running the school, and in January 2023, the school was inaugurated by the district education department officials,” shares Himabindu, an activist working in six slums of Jawahar Nagar.

A board was fixed, indicating it was a government school. A teacher was also promised from the subsequent academic year. In the meantime, a retired Mandal Education Officer was appointed as the headmaster on temporary basis, along with two Vidya Volunteers.

As per information shared by the teachers, a total 130 students from nearby slums including Shanthi Nagar, Gabbilalpet, Giriprasad Nagar, Rajiv Gandhi Nagar and Santhosh Nagar took admission in the school, some of them leaving the schools that they earlier attended. As this was only a temporary set-up, the children were given admission in other schools around the locality.