Hyderabad: Kids Kept Out Of School Over TC Delay

HYDERABAD: Two schoolchildren in Khairatabad have been out of classrooms for over two months after officials insisted on a transfer certificate (TC) that their private school refused to release without payment of pending fees.

Their mother, Afroz Tabassum, said the ordeal had ended only after the deputy DEO directly called the private school on Wednesday. “For two months, I was running around. They kept sending me from one school to another. Today, after the deputy DEO spoke, they agreed to give the TC on Saturday,” she said.

Tabassum first approached a government school in June, when her son, 11, had just been promoted to Class VI and her daughter, 12, to Class VII. Officials there asked her to return after two weeks, saying the children appeared weak.

She explained that she could no longer afford private schooling after her husband lost his job. While she was ready to take responsibility for her children’s progress, the schools refused admission without the TC. The private school demanded payment of the full year’s dues, about `20,000, before releasing the document.

During the gap, she kept her children occupied with tuition at home, though she admits they have slipped academically and are disturbed by the delay. “They are below average now, I can see it. It is affecting them mentally,” she said.

The family filed complaints through Prajavani, emailed the education department and even visited the DEO’s office before any action was taken. Only after repeated calls and visits did the deputy DEO intervene. Tabassum now hopes the TC will be handed over as promised so her children can finally join a government school. “They told me it will be handed to us by Saturday,” she said.