HYDERABAD: Along with development and employment, improvement of the education sector is one of the primary demands of Muslims in Old City. The number of government schools in the area has been on the decline since 2007. Though the TRS government set up a number of Minority Residential Schools in the area, there are no junior colleges in several constituencies. 

Social activist Ilyas Shamsi says quality education is one of the crucial demands of the community this polls. Buttressing his point, he recalled that a few months ago, upon being sanctioned a Rs 5-crore park, the people of  Kishanbagh area had insisted that the money be used to improve schools and colleges.

“In Kishanbagh area, girls after the completion of SSC have to go to Hussainialam or Nampally for intermediate education. In the Yakutpura constituency, there are no government schools. No junior colleges have been sanctioned in Bahadurpura constituency for decades.  A majority of old city schools have been encroached by land grabbers. These are the main concerns of Muslims in the locality,” said Shamsi. Further, there are only four government degree colleges in Old City, making higher education out of bounds for many students, particularly those who can’t afford private education.   

However, some experts Express spoke to were unbelieving that the fight for better education could trump religious politics. Md Abdul Akram, an RTI activist said, “Health and education, necessities in Old City get buried in Islam vs Hindutva and AIMIM vs BJP politics.  This year won’t be different,” he said.