KCR Government playing with careers of innocent school children: Sameer Waliullah

Hyderabad (INN): The Congress party on Friday urged the State Government to give clarity on extension of Dussera holidays for school children in view of ongoing strike by RTC employees.

Hyderabad City Congress Committee (HCCC) Minorities Department Chairman Sameer Waliullah, in a media statement, alleged that the extension of Dussera holidays by six days till October 19 has completely upset the Academic Schedule. Accusing the KCR Govt of playing with the careers of lakhs of innocent school children, he said that lot of rumours were doing rounds with regard to re-opening of schools. With October 20 being Sunday, schools will re-open on October 21. But what will happen if the strike continues on Monday? Will the government extend holidays for more time?

Sameer pointed out that as per the Academic Calendar, the Summative Assessment - SA1 is scheduled to be held from 21st to 26th October. This means that without any classes or preparation in the last one week, students will have to write exams on first day of re-opening of school.

The Congress leader slammed the State Government for giving too many holidays to school children. He said children in Telangana lost 11 academic days when the schools were re-opened on June 12 instead of June 1 due to heat wave. Since the schools re-opened on June 12, there were 10 Public Holidays, 18 Sundays, 3 Second Saturdays and 23 Dussera holidays. Out of 131 days from re-opening of schools on June 12 to re-opening of schools after extended Dussera vacation on October 21 (Oct 20 is Sunday), there were 54 Holidays while there were just 77 working days.

"As per Academic Calendar, the last day of working of academic year 2019-20 is April 23, 2020. There will be about 14-15 Public Holidays, 6 Second Saturday and 26 Sundays in this period. We will have another 6 days of Sankranti Holidays. Missionary Schools will have 7 additional holidays for Christmas. This means that there will be another 52-53 Holidays in current academic year. Therefore, there will about 134 days left for the schools, teachers and students to complete their syllabus and write exams, he said.

Sameer Wailullh said there would be more problems for SSC students who are scheduled to complete their syllabus by January 10, 2020 or in the next 82 days including holidays. Other students from Ist to IX class must complete the syllabus by February 29, 2020. "Is it possible? By not finding a solution to RTC strike, TRS Govt is not only playing with the lives of thousands of employees, but also with the lives and careers of lakhs of students and their parents," he said.

The Congress alleged that Telangana has becoming a Holiday State. Of 317 days in the academic calendar (2019-20), there are 106 holidays. He said Telangana might be the only State in the country where one-third number of days in an academic year are holidays. If we also count the Summer Holidays of 48 days, then the total number of holidays will be about 154 or nearly 42%.

"Is this TRS Govt propose to build Bangaru Telangana by imposing forced holidays on children? People, especially parents, should think about it. He said people must realise how wrong policies of TRS Govt and KCR are ruining the careers of our children. People of Huzurnagar, who are going to vote on October 21 for bye-elections, must look at their children before going to polling booth and exercise their vote in a judicious manner," he said adding that the Congress victory in Huzurnagar bye-elections would force TRS Govt to set the State in order. "They must elect Congress candidate Smt. Uttam Padmavathi if they wish to secure the future of their children," he said.