Representatives of the Telangana Save Education Committee today demanded that the State government place the "Education Policy in Telangana - 2026" report in the public domain before finalising the policy.
It may be recalled that the Revanth Reddy government had appointed the Telangana Education Commission to prepare a comprehensive education policy for the State. Recently, the Commission submitted its report to the Chief Minister for necessary action.
The Commission made some radical recommendations, including reducing the salaries of government school teachers, and discontinuing EAPCET and making Intermediate second year marks the basis for admission.
In the light of these, the President and Secretaries of the Telangana Save Education Committee - professors K Chakradhara Rao, G Haragopal and K Laxminarayana - demanded that the government place the report in the public domain for at least three months before finalising the policy. They said that it had been a long-standing democratic tradition for commissions and committees to release draft reports for public discussion before finalising policy decisions.
The committee cited the example of the National Education Policy, when a draft document "Challenges of Education" was released for nationwide discussion. Suggestions and recommendations were invited from various sections of society, including parents, educationists, teachers, lecturers and students. The consultation process continued for nearly two years before the policy was finalised. The ministry also published the opinions received from associations and social groups in special booklets.
In light of this precedent, the Telangana Save Education Committee urged the government to place the Telangana Education Commission report too before the people of the State - particularly parents, teachers, educators and students - and finalise it only after incorporating constructive suggestions and criticism.