Nalgonda government schools hold special classes; but empty classrooms and late teachers undermine schedule

If you thought “special classes” meant extra help for students, think again. In Nalgonda district, government high schools have been ordered to run special classes from 8 am to 9 am and 4.15 pm to 5.15 pm to boost Class 10 pass percentage. The circular is clear, the schedule is set — but apparently, the concept of punctuality is still under review.

Nalgonda district has 225 government high schools with around 6,000 Class 10 students. The Director of School Education has issued a circular mandating one hour of special classes in the morning and one hour in the evening, excluding holidays, from October 6 to December 31.

Parents have witnessed a “daily soap opera” in high schools across Devarakonda, Miryalaguda, and Chandur revenue divisions: 8 am special classes seem to exist more as a concept than a reality, with students showing up only to find empty classrooms. The early birds are instead rewarded with a live lesson in patience and the art of improvisation.

The reason behind this punctuality “flexibility” is not hard to guess. Many teachers commute from Hyderabad and Nalgonda, turning the morning journey into a high-capacity adventure. Nampally parents revealed that four to five teachers cram into a single car while six to eight wrestle into an auto-rickshaw, demonstrating that being on time is clearly negotiable.

Allegations of lack of supervision by education officials are flying as high as the teachers’ morning excuses. Special classes, designed to lift Class 10 pass rates, have been running for over 10 days, yet no inspections or reviews have reportedly occurred.

The facial recognition attendance system, installed to curb tardiness, seems to have joined the list of ineffective government tools. Teachers can punch in, stroll in late and nothing happens. Meanwhile, students wait, learn patience, and question why their one-hour head start is so difficult to catch.