Jawaharnagar Residents Plan Protest March Demanding Better School Infrastructure

Residents of Gabbilalapeta in Jawaharnagar are organising a ‘Chalo Medchal Collectorate’ march on Monday to demand improved educational facilities and the allocation of five acres of land for a comprehensive government school.

The protest, organised by the Government School Preservation Committee, seeks the establishment of a Telangana Public School modeled after the Arutla institution, which provides integrated education from Nursery through Class 12. Jawaharnagar is home to approximately three lakh residents, comprising a large population of daily-wage labourers, unorganised-sector workers, and low-income families who depend heavily on accessible state-run education.

According to the committee, the Mandal Parishad Primary School in Gabbilalapeta currently operates out of a small rented premises with severely limited facilities. A shortage of classrooms has frequently forced teachers to conduct multiple classes simultaneously within a single room.

Although Jawaharnagar has eight primary schools and two high schools, community members stated that the existing infrastructure remains inadequate to serve the area's student population. The absence of a government junior college across Kapra mandal is another critical concern, leaving students with no choice but to travel long distances outside the locality for higher secondary studies.

Residents warned that the lack of accessible educational infrastructure could result in serious social consequences. They highlighted that children from vulnerable backgrounds face the risk of being pushed into child labour, while young girls face higher chances of early marriage if forced to drop out due to distance and resource constraints.

Prominent figures, activists, and civil society members are slated to join the demonstration. Expected participants include former Telangana Education Commission chairperson and retired IAS officer Akunuri Murali, former MLC Prof K Nageshwar, retired IAS officer Dr MV Reddy, Prof K Lakshminarayana, former MLC A Narsi Reddy, journalist Tulasi Chandu, and Ravi Kanneganti, alongside representatives of student groups, youth organisations, and teachers.