Amavasya Leads to Low School Attendance on Reopening Day in Nalgonda
Schools in Nalgonda faced low attendance on their reopening day, as many parents considered the date, Amavasya, inauspicious. While textbooks have been distributed, other facilities are still being readied, and a safety incident involving a student occurred at a local school.
Highlights
- •Low school attendance across Nalgonda district on June 15th linked to Amavasya.
- •District officials report attendance rates between 10-15% for the new academic year.
- •Textbooks have been distributed, but new uniforms and the breakfast program remain pending.
- •A 13-year-old student sustained injuries from a live wire while decorating a school entrance.
Schools across the Nalgonda district experienced notably low attendance figures on their reopening day following the summer break, a trend local officials have linked to the date falling on Amavasya. Across both public and private educational institutions, attendance rates were reported to be between 10 and 15 percent as the 2026-27 academic year commenced on June 15.
The district comprises a total student enrollment of 198,990 across 2,017 schools, which includes 1,749 government-run facilities and 369 private institutions. Educational authorities observed that many parents appeared reluctant to send their children to classrooms on a day considered inauspicious by traditional standards. It is widely anticipated that student participation will see a significant increase starting from Wednesday.
Impact of Attendance Trends on Academic Reopening
The reluctance attributed to Amavasya resulted in stark attendance figures in some areas. For instance, at the Zilla Parishad High School in Koratikal, located within the Munugode mandal, only three students were present out of a total student body of 103, while several other schools reported a complete lack of student attendance. Conversely, some private schools attempted to circumvent the issue by holding brief sessions on the preceding Saturday to mark the start of the academic year on a more favorable day.
To support the start of the new academic term, Nalgonda District Collector Badugu Chandrasekhar visited a government school in Marriguda to participate in the distribution of textbooks. During his engagement, he emphasized the importance of self-discipline and student welfare alongside academic pursuits. Officials confirmed that while textbooks are readily available for distribution, students have been advised to utilize their uniforms from the previous year as the new supply is still being processed. Furthermore, the school breakfast program remains pending, awaiting the establishment of necessary central kitchens within the district.
Safety Concerns During School Reopening
The first day of the academic session was also marked by a distressing incident involving a 13-year-old boy named Ramcharam. The student, who resides near the Zilla Parishad High School in Kondamallepally, sustained injuries after coming into contact with a live electric wire while assisting with the installation of mango leaf festoons at the school entrance. Following the accident, the boy was promptly transported to the government hospital in Devarakonda for urgent medical treatment.
