Telangana Education Commission suggests better English instruction for improvement of govt. schools

One of the most pressing concerns flagged by the commission was the practice of multigrade teaching, where a single teacher is responsible for multiple classes. Commission member Prof. P.L. Vishveshwar Rao called for an end to this system, stating that it severely affects learning outcomes. “Single teachers managing multiple classes, this system needs to go,” he said.

The report advocated for larger, better-equipped schools which will cover nursery to higher secondary levels. According to Prof. Rao, the lack of nursery and lower kindergarten classes keeps many students away from government institutions.

“Most parents don’t choose government schools because they don’t have nursery or LKG,” he explained. “Bigger schools with common facilities like libraries and playgrounds would make a real difference. If one teacher is absent, another can take over, which isn’t possible when classes are scattered across different locations.”

The commission has proposed integrating intermediate education into the school system and recommended that each mandal should have a Telangana State Public School which can cater to 1,000 to 1,800 students from LKG to intermediate level.

Additionally, according to the commission, a bus transport system should be provided for students travelling from each mandals, a request that came directly from students.

The demand for English-medium instruction was another issue raised. “Almost 99 per cent of parents want their children to study in English,” Prof. Rao noted. The report calls for a structured approach to improving English teaching in government schools, along with stronger leadership and administrative efficiency.

A regulatory body, the Telangana School Standards Authority, has been proposed to evaluate teaching quality, curriculum, teacher numbers, student outcomes, and overall school performance. Designed to function as an independent statutory body, it would operate similarly to NAAC, which assesses higher education institutions.

The commission believes a ranking system could encourage schools to improve. “A ranking will promote competition, which in turn will push schools to do better,” Prof. Rao added.

The recommendations come after two months of consultations with stakeholders, including teachers, school administrators, NGOs, and educational experts from organisations such as UNICEF and the World Bank. Over five public hearings and workshops were held to understand the concerns of those directly involved in the education system.