Telangana Recognised School Management Association (TRSMA) took their crusade for reopening schools a step further and a TRSMA delegation met Sabitha Indra Reddy, Minister of Education, Government of Telangana on January 21 at 11 am. The association shared that the minister responded positively to their request. TRSMA is "confident" that certainly, the government will reopen schools from January 31.
Apart from requesting that the schools should be reopened from January 31, they had a few other points to make as well.
At the meeting, TRSMA requested that the academic year 2021-22 should be extended till May 30, 2022. Apart from the fact that out of the 220 days, the schools functioned in the physical mode for just 85 days, Y Shekar Rao, President, TRSMA, said, "There is the matter of completing the curriculum and conducting exams as well that's why, as opposed to ending the academic year in April 2022, we requested that it be extended till May 30, 2022."
Rao also shared that the minister had already spoken to Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao about the reopening of schools yesterday, January 20. "The day the extension of the holidays was announced, the government received intelligence and other reports including requests from experts, school managements and other stakeholders that schools should go on as is," he added.
They also submitted several postcards from parents, teachers and students across Telangana who, in writing, requested the government to reopen schools.
TRSMA has been demanding that schools be reopened citing reasons like an increase in the learning gap and limited reach of digital education. They have also been asking why malls and restaurants are open while schools are closed.