Out of 30,023 government-run schools in the State, only 2,772 (9.23%) have internet facilities, highlighting a troubling digital divide

Hyderabad: In this age of smartphones, electronic appliances, big machines and seamless communication from far off distances via the internet, students studying in the Telangana government-run schools remain stuck in a digital dark age.

As India is on the cusp of a technology revolution with soon-to-be-rolled-out 6G services, a staggering 91 per cent of Telangana government-run schools lack the basic facility of internet connection.

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Of the 30,023 government schools in the State, only 2,772 (9.23 per cent) have internet access, highlighting the digital chasm.

Telangana is far behind its neighbour Andhra Pradesh, where 45 per cent of 45,137 government schools have access to the internet. Ironically, the State also lags behind than the national average of 24.16 per cent.

“Though cables were laid for providing internet connection under the ‘Mana Ooru – Mana Badi‘ programme, the schools are yet to get the service. Some schools have been provided with tabs, which have internet facility. Apart from internet, the government must ensure computers in all schools,” a high school headmaster said, requesting anonymity.

Among the larger States, Telangana, with 9.23 per cent, stands at third place behind Bihar (5.85 per cent) and Uttar Pradesh (8.81 per cent).

These details were recently shared by Union Minister of State for Education Jayant Chaudhary in Lok Sabha in response to a question on internet facility in schools raised by MPs Dr MP Abdussamad Samadani and Gowaal Kagada Padavi.

Though private schools in Telangana have better internet facilities compared to their government counterparts, they fare poorly compared to the national average of 59.63 per cent.

A total of 56.73 per cent of 12,193 private schools in the State have internet facilities.

However, among the major States — Kerala with 95.13 per cent and Maharashtra with 85.85 per cent of private schools with internet facility — Telangana is far behind on the chart.