18 Telangana Govt Schools Have Fewer Than 10 Students; Teacher Numbers Match Or Exceed Enrolment
As per the official data, Telangana has 4,701 government high schools. Among them, 18 institutions have 10 or fewer students.
Published : October 11, 2025 at 2:29 PM IST
Hyderabad: An unusual scenario has emerged across several government high schools in Telangana, where the number of teachers matches, or even exceeds number of students. Despite nearby schools with better enrolment, the state Education Department has yet to merge such schools, drawing criticism for inefficiency and misuse of public resources.
In Korkal Zilla Parishad High School (ZPHS) of Veenavanka mandal, Karimnagar district, only nine students are enrolled, while five teachers are assigned to teach them. The school has seven classrooms and a staff room, all fully equipped. Similarly, at Ghanmukla ZPHS in the same mandal, nine students are taught by nine teachers.
According to the latest data from the Education Department, Telangana has 4,701 government high schools for Classes 6 to 10. Of these, 18 schools have 10 or fewer students. Altogether, these institutions accommodate 129 students who are being taught by 123 teachers, which is nearly a one-to-one ratio.
A few schools reportedly operate with as few as three to five children. Since high schools require subject-specific teachers for English, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, and Languages, officials say staff deployment cannot be reduced proportionately to student numbers. This has led to the same staffing strength being retained for schools with either ten or two hundred students.
On the other side, there are government primary schools which have fewer teachers and more students, says Ramavath Lalu Naik, Headmaster of Mandal Parishad Upper Primary School (MPUPS), Edulaguda in Miryalaguda. "There are remote habitations where travelling to ZPHS schools is a concern for many students. Government must think of providing free transport facilities for such students and motivate them to enrol in government schools," said Lalu Naik.
Another striking example is Parlapalli ZPHS in Mogullapally mandal, Bhupalapally district, where only eight students are enrolled across Classes 6 to 10. The school has eight teachers, including the principal. On Wednesday, just five students attended, all seated in a single room learning different subjects from different teachers.
Officials trace the problem back to the early 2000s, when the government introduced the "school in every village" policy to expand educational access. Over time, additional institutions like Model Schools, Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas (KGBVs), and Gurukuls were set up, further diversifying educational options.
However, the growth of private schools shifted parental preferences. Many families began transferring their children from government to private institutions, despite higher costs. The resulting fall in primary school enrolments has now cascaded into dwindling student numbers at government high schools.
Officials acknowledge that weak monitoring and infrequent supervisory visits have worsened the problem, eroding public confidence. In several cases, two government high schools function on the same premises, yet remain unmerged despite one having very few students.
Education analysts argue that such cases highlight the urgent need for rationalising school resources. They suggest merging institutions with very low student numbers or converting them into educational resource centres to ensure quality learning and efficient use of public funds.
Read More
Quota For OBC In Local Body Polls Should Be Within 'Triple Test' Framework Set By SC: Telangana HC
