BJP's Malka Komaraiah alleges declining education standards in Telangana, seeks higher budget and NEP implementation

Speaking to ANI, Komaraiah said that the state's allocation for education remains significantly lower than the national average, affecting the overall quality of education.

"Education quality in Telangana is deteriorating day by day because the education budget has not been increased despite repeated requests. Across India, states allocate around 14 to 18 per cent of their budgets to education, while the Union government also allocates around 15 per cent. Unfortunately, Telangana allocates only around 7.2 per cent," he said.

According to the BJP leader, the current allocation is insufficient to improve educational standards as a large portion of the budget is spent on salaries.

"Nearly 90 per cent of the education budget goes towards salaries. With the remaining amount, it is impossible to improve the quality of education. The education budget must be increased," Komaraiah said.

He also demanded the appointment of a full-time education minister, alleging that the absence of dedicated leadership has delayed decision-making within the department.

"There should be a regular education minister to monitor various departments, coordinate administrative work and take timely decisions. Several files remain pending for months due to the lack of effective coordination," he said.

Komaraiah further alleged that the Congress government has failed to fulfil the promises made in its election manifesto regarding the education sector.

"The Congress manifesto contained several assurances for improving education and resolving the issues faced by the department. However, the government has failed to implement those promises or bring about meaningful reforms," he said.

While welcoming the construction of new model schools in the state, the BJP leader said that the government should first focus on improving existing educational institutions.

"Constructing new model schools is a positive step, but priority should be given to ensuring that existing schools function properly. They need better infrastructure, effective governance and adequate administrative staff," he said.

Komaraiah also urged the Telangana government to implement the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 without further delay.

"The National Education Policy 2020 is one of the most comprehensive education reforms introduced after 34 years. It has already been implemented by the Union government and in BJP-ruled states. Unfortunately, Telangana has not implemented it yet. We demand its immediate implementation so that governance becomes more streamlined with a clear focus on school and higher education," he said. (ANI)