HYDERABAD, TRINET NEWS, SEPTEMBER 9:
Jawaharlal Balabhavan, established to train children in fine arts like music, dance, and painting, has allegedly turned into a rehabilitation center for regular school teachers. Located in the heart of the city, a stone's throw away from the Assembly, serious allegations are being leveled against the functioning of Balabhavan.
While qualified teachers in respective fields are supposed to provide training, teachers from surrounding districts are reportedly using their political clout and citing health grounds to secure deputations to Balabhavan without any qualifications in fine arts. Math, science, and social studies teachers have been brought in to teach music, dance, and painting. Lacking any knowledge of fine arts, these teachers allegedly spend their time resting comfortably at Balabhavan from morning till evening. Drawing thousands of rupees in salaries, they neither teach students in their home districts nor know what to teach at Balabhavan, simply passing time while relaxing. Consequently, students have stopped visiting Balabhavan altogether.
Notably, all this is happening right under the nose of Balabhavan In-charge Director Vijayabai. Her silence despite being aware of these irregularities has caused astonishment. While the government is striving to help students excel in academics as well as extracurricular activities, utter dormancy reigns at Balabhavan, which operates under Chief Minister Revanth Reddy's Education Department. Due to the Director's inefficiency, Balabhavans in the districts have fallen into ruin.
A school teacher brought on deputation to the establishment section is reportedly making numerous mistakes, yet the Director continues to back the deputationist, bringing disrepute to Balabhavan. Due to the Director's ineptitude, Vanaparthi and Mahabubnagar Balabhavan buildings have also reportedly been usurped by other departments. Secunderabad and Old City Balabhavans have already been shut down due to a lack of teachers despite having students. In Khammam Balabhavan, a dance master has not attended work for the past four years, yet the Director is accused of shielding them without taking any disciplinary action.
It is learned that the Director is attempting to grant a full-time post from a part-time position at the Kukatpally Balabhavan without seniority. Critics point out that the Director has been acting arbitrarily without obtaining any permission from the government.
Reliable sources indicate that Vijayalakshmumbai is making efforts to reinstate a former stenographer named Ramachandra, who was suspended by the government after securing a promotion as a senior assistant using fake certificates. The Director has allegedly shown negligence by failing to inform the court or the government that the suspended Ramachandra drew a salary of 22 lakh rupees, and is making desperate efforts to take him back into service. Severe criticism is mounting against Director Vijayalakshmumbai for single-handedly managing affairs and granting years-long deputations to teachers who have no connection to Balabhavan.
Allegations are also rife that the establishment in-charge is depositing Balabhavan's canteen funds into her personal account, causing a loss of revenue to the institution. Despite bringing this to the notice of officials several times, no action was taken, and the canteen has now been shut down.
Recently, Telangana State Commission for Protection of Child Rights Chairperson Seetha Dayakar Reddy made a surprise visit to Jawaharlal Balabhavan, bringing shocking facts to light. When Seetha Dayakar Reddy posed a question to a teacher, the response left her utterly astonished. She expressed deep anguish over the dismal conditions prevailing at Balabhavan.
S. Vijayalakshmi, Director of Balabhavan, responded: "Priyadarsini Auditorium will be available soon. We have employees proficient in the arts and there is no staff shortage. The allegations are baseless."
