Govt schools stare at closure in Lingala

Penpahad (Suryapet): Concerned over the declining enrolment in the Government Primary School and Zilla Parishad High School in Lingala, one of the major Gram Panchayats in Penpahad mandal of Suryapet district, village Sarpanch Garlapati Swarna raised the issue during a Gram Sabha and placed a resolution seeking steps to strengthen government schools.

The proposal received unanimous approval from the villagers. Addressing the gathering, Swarna emphasised that continued decline in student admissions could eventually lead to the closure of the schools. She noted that the government spends nearly Rs 10 lakhs every month on salaries and other educational expenses for the institutions and stressed the need to make better use of these resources.

The Sarpanch announced that she would write to the District Collector requesting measures to encourage parents to enrol their children in government schools. She suggested that welfare benefits, including PDS rice and pensions, could be suspended for three months for families choosing private schools. She also stated that private school buses should not be permitted to operate within the village.

During the discussion, a few villagers explained that they preferred private schools because government school classes ended by 3 pm, while most parents returned home much later from work. Responding to these concerns, Swarna proposed appointing a voluntary teacher through the Gram Panchayat to supervise students after school hours and ensure they remained safe until their parents returned.

Reaffirming her commitment, Swarna declared that protecting and strengthening government schools in Lingala was essential and that she would pursue the initiative regardless of support from ward members.